New Plan Rewards Employees for Healthy Behaviors and Care Engagement
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UPMC Health Plan makes group health insurance more cost-effective with HealthyU.
HealthyU is a new plan that rewards members who exhibit healthy behaviors and become more involved in their health care decisions. HealthyU also gives companies the flexibility necessary to choose a plan that meets both their needs and those of their employees.
Because chronic conditions account for more than 75 percent of all health care costs, and because the development of chronic diseases is largely the result of behavioral factors, HealthyU is a tool employers can use to directly address the rising cost of health care. At the same time, HealthyU also focuses on the health and productivity of employees by helping them – and their families – understand their health, improve their health, and partner with their doctor in medical care decisions – and earn incentives as they do.
HealthyU members receive financial incentives in their Health Incentive Account (HIA), funded by UPMC Health Plan, by completing specific activities, such as a preventive care visit, a flu shot, or a health coaching program. Members can choose from more than 100 activities, developed from UPMC Health Plan's award-winning wellness and care management programs. They can use the funds in their HIA to reduce out-of-pocket health care expenses, and their HIA balance can roll over year-to-year.
"HealthyU is a unique combination of a high-deductible health plan and a healthy living rewards program," said Kimberly Cepullio, Vice President of Sales and Account Management for UPMC Health Plan. "Consumers who improve their health behaviors and become engaged in their medical care decisions have been shown to consistently improve their health and reduce their health care costs. HealthyU provides them with the incentives to achieve their health care goals."
The high-deductible component of HealthyU encourages members to be more active consumers of health care by being involved in their options and costs. The health incentive account gives them the opportunity to earn financial rewards for healthy activities and become more engaged in decisions about their care.
Employers will have access to tools and resources to educate and engage their employees with the Employer Online Tool Kit. The kit comes with a complete library of downloadable resources to answer employees' questions and to engage them to participate in healthy activities. Employees will also have online access to tools and information such as live chat, claims information, online lifestyle programs, and the ability to manage health care costs.
For more information about HealthyU, go to www.upmchealthyu.com.
About UPMC Health Plan
UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, one of the nation's top-ranked health systems. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs Plan (SNP), CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to nearly 1.6 million members. UPMC Health Plan's local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals, and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.
SOURCE UPMC Health Plan