UnitedHealthcare is expanding its push into digital health with the launch of a third mobile app.
Only a few weeks ago, parent company UnitedHealth Group’s Optum division announced that it was launching the first-of-its-kind healthcare-focused cloud with applications specifically for healthcare providers.
This time around, the focus is on the 26 million plan participants who get their coverage from the insurance giant.
For them, UnitedHealthcare has launched the Health4Me mobile app available on the Apple platform. The mobile app allows users to get round-the-clock access to a registered nurse; locate a nearby in-network physician, hospital or other medical facility; and access their personal health benefits information.
According to a press release, others features allow users to:
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
- Download their health plan ID card to their smartphone and email or fax the ID card directly from the mobile device to the plan participant’s physician office or hospital;
- Save their favorite care providers within the UnitedHealthcare network and record personal notes from each visit to that doctor under the “Favorites” tab;
- Request a callback from UnitedHealthcare using the “Easy Connect” feature to address any questions about claims and benefits;
- View information on a plan participant’s status of deductible and out-of-pocket spending, and check account balances for health reimbursement, flexible spending and health savings accounts.
Since the launch of the app at the end of January, there have been around 10,000 downloads, said Nick Martin, vice president of innovation, research and development at UnitedHealth Group, in a phone interview Tuesday.
“It’s really an application designed toward helping the consumers navigate the healthcare system and access information in a way that is meaningful while they are on the run,” Martin said.
In a few months, the Health4Me app will be available on smartphones and tablets using the Android operating system, too, he added. The only one detailed review on the App Store lauds the mobile app for allowing the user to display the insurance ID card on the phone instead of having to carry the physical card around. Another UHC app called OptumizeMe, which allows users to create fitness challenges and play with their friends or co-workers, also have generally positive customer response.
However, reviewers are far less generous toward the DocGPS app from UnitedHealth Group that allows users to locate an in-network physician, clinic or hospital. Reviewers complain that the app is limited not just from a visual, end-user experience, but also in terms of functionality because it doesn’t list all UnitedHealthcare plans.
