Investing Upstream: The Case for Mindfulness and Therapy in Health Plans

Every health plan aiming to improve population health outcomes and reduce total cost of care should prioritize access to key behavioral health services such as mindfulness training, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychotherapy. These interventions not only support long-term brain health but also serve as early, cost-effective treatments for conditions like substance use disorder, reducing reliance on more expensive inpatient care. Supporting this approach, a recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that patients who participated in an eight-week Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) program—which combines mindfulness, CBT, and positive psychology—experienced a 50% reduction in opioid cravings compared to those in supportive group therapy. The study highlights how programs like MORE can modulate brain responses to positive stimuli and help patients with opioid use disorder regain control over cravings and emotional regulation (Garland et al., 2025).

Garland EL, Hudak J, Hanley AW, Bernat E, Froeliger B. (2025). Positive Emotion Dysregulation in Opioid Use Disorder and Normalization by Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.0569