Humana, Philips team up to offer remote monitoring to select MA members

Humana is teaming up with Philips to offer remote monitoring services to select Medicare Advantage (MA) members.

The insurer and electronics giant will join forces for two programs, the companies announced Wednesday morning. In the first, Humana will identify at-risk members and offer them Philips' Lifeline medical alert service, which includes tools such as AutoAlert fall detection. The goal, according to the announcement, is to offer better support for seniors who may be at risk for falls but who want to age in place.

The Lifeline services will be available nationwide in certain Humana MA plans. Members who are at high risk for hospital readmission will be a critical focus, according to the announcement, and the platform will allow medical professionals to dispatch crucial assistance to seniors more quickly.

“Our goal is to continue to find ways to help our Medicare Advantage members stay longer and safer in their homes,” Susan Diamond, Humana’s home business segment president, said in a statement. “We believe our work with Philips will help offer our members and their caregivers more in-home support and help them to stay engaged and focused on prevention.”

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In the announcement, the companies noted that 57% of Medicare beneficiaries are released from the hospital but are not offered any direct monitoring by a health professional.

In the second program, Humana will select a group of its MA members with severe congestive heart failure and will offer them a suite of remote monitoring tools from Philips that work together to better track their health. The participants will be provided a tablet that syncs with connected measurement devices, such as a scale and blood pressure monitor, that provides daily data feedback to their care manager.

Armed with these data, Humana's care teams can make more decisions proactively to prevent unnecessary readmissions, the insurer said.

“Forward-thinking companies like Humana are realizing how deploying population health management can enable the industry to influence high-risk, high-cost populations at scale to help them lead healthier lives,” said Carla Kriwet, chief business leader for connected care at Philips, in a statement.