Smoking Cessation Program

Provider Type

  • Physicians 
  • Participating Physician Groups (PPG)

Participating physician groups (PPGs) can implement an ongoing, systematic process for identifying members who smoke. Members may be referred to programs offered by the PPG or the Craving to Quit program.

Craving to Quit Program1

Sharecare is a vendor that provides an enhanced wellness program to members. Sharecare’s tobacco cessation program is designed to help users who are ready to quit to permanently break their addiction to tobacco. Participants will utilize a digital support approach that provides mobile and online tools, resources and messaging features with trained experts.

Craving to Quit is an evidence-based 21-day smoking and vaping cessation program delivering treatment via app or website. The program helps retrain the brain using mindfulness to break the habit loop.

In the United States, 70 percent of smokers want to quit smoking, but only 10 percent will do so successfully on their own. This program’s tools and learning modules can maximize your odds of successfully quitting. Some of the tools available include:

  • Daily tracking
  • Daily coaching
  • Daily nudges
  • An online community
  • A quitting pact
  • 40 additional optional modules
  • Mindfulness tools

Enrollment in the tobacco cessation program is initiated by Eligible Users who are ready to quit smoking.

The digital service option provides up to twelve (12) months of unlimited support for eligible participants.

Refer members other than Medicare members to the Craving to Quit telephonic tobacco cessation program to speak to an enrollment specialist.

1Craving to Quit is not offered for Health Net Medicare members.

Other Tobacco Cessation Resources

Kick It California (formerly California Smoker’s Helpline) is a tobacco cessation program available to Health Net members. The program offers specialized services for teens, pregnant smokers, individuals who chew tobacco, and e-cigarette users, and extends information on how to help a friend or family member quit tobacco use. Telephonic coaching is available in six languages (English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Vietnamese) and text programs may be obtained in English or Spanish. Members can learn more by calling Kick It California at 800-300-8086 or online at www.kickitca.org.

Recommendations

Providers should assess and document smoking status as part of the vital signs he or she collects at each clinical visit for every member. Adding smoking status to the vital signs assessment, an activity usually completed by a nurse or medical assistant prior to the physician's encounter, ensures that all smokers are identified.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Health Net is responsible for the approval of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for prescription-only and other smoking cessation products for members who have smoking cessation benefits. If applicable, providers can complete the Prescription Drug Prior Authorization or Step Therapy Exception Request Form (PDF) (for approval of NRT), indicating that the member is using it for smoking cessation and is enrolled in a smoking cessation program.