WellPoint, Inc. announced today an innovative, consumer-centered wellness offering specially designed to help Americans optimize their health through the company’s relationship with Healthways, a national leader in health and wellness solutions.
“Our continued work with Healthways further demonstrates our ability to deliver innovative, clinically sound health and wellness solutions that are easy for members to engage in and enjoy. It is a powerful example of how we are making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
For several years, the two companies have collaborated to deliver a robust health and wellness offering to employer groups and consumers. Building on this relationship, WellPoint has extended and expanded its agreement with Healthways through 2015 to implement an even broader array of effective and accessible health and wellness services for consumers.
Studies have shown the positive impact a focus on well-being can have in helping individuals and their families to better engage in their health and take steps to maintain and improve it. WellPoint’s new health and wellness solution with Healthways provides an integrated, total-population approach to enhanced well-being through dynamic tools, resources and programs that put the consumer at the center of care.
“WellPoint is committed to improving the accessibility and affordability of quality health care for our members in a way that enhances their overall health care experience,” said Dr. Harlan Levine, executive vice president of Comprehensive Health Solutions for WellPoint. “Our continued work with Healthways further demonstrates our ability to deliver innovative, clinically sound health and wellness solutions that are easy for members to engage in and enjoy. It is a powerful example of how we are making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
In addition to the unique member health web portal, health coaching, and access to the Prime Fitness Center Networks in WellPoint’s existing offering, employers now can take advantage of a comprehensive and industry-leading suite of health and wellness programs, tools and resources that support consumers and their families in their pursuit of healthy lifestyles. For those employers who select this offering, the programs will be made available to all employees, whether WellPoint affiliated health plan members or not.
New capabilities include web and mobile-device interventions that create and leverage social networking to help individuals improve their well-being. One example is through Daily Challenges, a web-based social well-being product that promotes health and wellness with the philosophy that small daily actions, coupled with connecting to others, will lead to improvements in a person’s well-being. In addition, health plan members have access to InnergyTM, Healthways’ evidence-based, physician-directed weight loss program offered in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The expanded relationship also will enable large employer customers of WellPoint’s affiliated health plans to participate in Healthways’ Blue Zones Worksite Certification Program, which utilizes an evidence-based approach to promote and recognize healthy- inspired homes and workplaces.
“Healthways is excited to work with WellPoint to bring a more comprehensive and engaging wellness solution to consumers,” said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., chief executive officer of Healthways. “These new, innovative capabilities harness the power of mobile devices and social-network applications to improve well-being. The initial commercial launch of Innergy, along with enhanced worksite wellness programs and our Blue Zones Worksite Certification program, provide WellPoint with the most comprehensive wellness solution in the market.”