Three-Year Deal Covers Eligible Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Members
NASHVILLE, Tenn. & LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In a continuing effort to promote wellness and prevention to its members, Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) has agreed to extend its current contract offering Healthways’ (NASDAQ: HWAY) award-winning SilverSneakers® Fitness Program to eligible Humana members. SilverSneakers, the nation’s leading social support and exercise program designed to keep seniors healthy, has been a very popular offering to Humana Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement members since 2004, with more than 20 percent of Humana’s 1.8 million eligible members currently participating in the program.
“SilverSneakers is a great example of the added value our Medicare Advantage plans bring to Humana members,” said Alan Wheatley, vice president of Humana Senior Products. “Not only is it hugely popular among our members, it’s been proven effective at helping Humana members improve their balance, physical fitness and overall well-being.”
Eligible Humana Medicare members can join SilverSneakers programs at no additional cost and enjoy the fitness, fun and friends for which the program is known. Designed exclusively for older adults and taught by certified instructors, the program offers a blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle direction and social opportunities. Physical activity can play a critical role in the prevention and treatment of various chronic illnesses. A published 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that individuals who participate in SilverSneakers programs have lower long term medical costs and require fewer hospital admissions.1
Research has demonstrated that SilverSneakers improves the health and fitness of participants through its unique combination of exercise and social support. A separate CDC study found that SilverSneakers provided tangible health benefits for high-risk members. Members with diabetes who were active in SilverSneakers were admitted to the hospital less often, had lower inpatient care costs and had significant reduction in overall healthcare costs after only a year of participation.2
“We are extremely pleased that Humana will continue to offer SilverSneakers to its eligible members. This important extension not only reflects Humana’s commitment to the health and well-being of their older adult population, but is also a testament to a great working partnership between our two companies,” said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., Healthways CEO. “There is no question that one of the secrets to better health and a more active and independent lifestyle is exercise. Additionally, the SilverSneakers program makes exercising an enjoyable and socially rewarding experience.”
SilverSneakers’ robust network provides eligible members with access to more than 11,000 participating fitness and wellness facilities throughout the country. Many sites offer amenities such as exercise equipment, treadmills and free weights, and the signature SilverSneakers fitness classes. Additional signature classes, such as YogaStretch and SilverSplash®, are available at select locations.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.1 million medical members and approximately 7 million specialty-benefit members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplemental benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.
Over its 50-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s Web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings
- Most recent investor conference presentations
- Quarterly earnings news releases
- Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls
- Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors)
- Corporate Governance Information
About Healthways
Healthways is the leading provider of specialized, comprehensive solutions to help millions of people maintain or improve their health and well-being and, as a result, reduce overall costs. Healthways’ solutions are designed to keep healthy people healthy, reduce health-related risks and optimize care for those with chronic illness. Our proven, evidence-based programs provide highly specific and personalized interventions for each individual in a population, irrespective of age or health status, and are delivered to consumers by phone, mail, Internet and face-to-face interactions, both domestically and internationally. Healthways also provides a national, fully accredited complementary and alternative Health Provider Network and a national Fitness Center Network, offering convenient access to individuals who seek health services outside of, and in conjunction with, the traditional health care system. For more information, please visit http://www.healthways.com.
1http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/jan/07_0148.htm
2http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/8/1562.full
CONTACT:
Humana
Jim Turner, 502-580-3221
[email protected]
or
Healthways
Chip Wochomurka, 615-614-4493
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America Kentucky Tennessee
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Seniors Health Fitness & Nutrition Professional Services Insurance Consumer Managed Care
MEDIA:
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