Coordinating Care Early for Better Outcomes
Centene’s METS program—Members Empowered to Succeed—demonstrates how coordinated behavioral healthcare can help prevent gaps in treatment and support long-term engagement with care. The program operates in select Ambetter and Medicaid markets to better support members with more complex needs.
In 2025, METS made measurable progress. Clinicians and care coordinators worked together to address more than 16,000 preventive and follow-up care gaps, from well-child visits to annual checkups and dental care, by proactively informing and supporting members and providers. That momentum continued into early 2026, with clinicians and care coordinators addressing more than 5,600 additional care gaps and connecting over 2,500 new members to ongoing support.
Removing Barriers to Behavioral Health
For members receiving outpatient behavioral healthcare, everyday challenges can interrupt treatment. Navigating benefits, transportation barriers, food insecurity, and lack of safe housing can all derail engagement. Many of these members also have limited interaction with their health plans, meaning unmet needs and missed follow-ups go unnoticed.
The METS program addresses this gap by proactively reaching out to members who might otherwise lose touch with care, helping identify unmet needs, encourage follow-up appointments, and connect members with benefits and community resources. Clinicians work directly with behavioral health providers to support treatment planning and care transitions, while care coordinators engage members around practical needs such as medication questions and barriers that can disrupt care.
Rather than waiting for members to ask for help, METS is designed to reach out early and stay engaged over time. By creating a consistent point of connection, the program improves communication and continuity for both providers and members. Providers gain clearer insight into available benefits and resources, while members receive support managing appointments and everyday challenges.
Expanding to Serve More Members
National research from the Center for Health Care Strategies finds that nearly one in three adults in the United States experiences a mental health or substance use condition. Centene has expanded METS into additional Medicaid and Ambetter markets, with expansion into additional Medicaid occurring in 2022 and into Ambetter markets in 2025. This expansion allows more members to receive help navigating benefits, staying connected to care, and addressing social challenges that affect their health.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.centene.com/news/mets-program-behavioral-healthcare-coordination.html