Health & Fitness
Wed, August 29, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--WellPoint, Inc. announced today an innovative, consumer-centered wellness offering specially designed to help Americans optimize their health through the companyas 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 peopleas 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. WellPointas 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.
aWellPoint 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,a said Dr. Harlan Levine, executive vice president of Comprehensive Health Solutions for WellPoint. aOur 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 peopleas lives.a
In addition to the unique member health web portal, health coaching, and access to the Prime Fitness Center Networks in WellPointas 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 throughDaily 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 personas well-being. In addition, health plan members have access to [ InnergyTM ], Healthwaysa evidence-based, physician-directed weight loss program offered in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The expanded relationship also will enable large employer customers of WellPointas affiliated health plans to participate in Healthwaysa Blue Zones Worksite Certification Program, which utilizes an evidence-based approach to promote and recognize healthy- inspired homes and workplaces.
aHealthways is excited to work with WellPoint to bring a more comprehensive and engaging wellness solution to consumers,a said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., chief executive officer of Healthways. aThese 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.a
About WellPoint
At WellPoint, we believe there is an important connection between our membersa health and well-beinga"and the value we bring our customers and shareholders. So each day we work to improve the health of our members and their communities. And, we can make a real difference since we have approximately 34 million people in our branded health plans, and approximately 65 million people served through our subsidiaries. As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), and Wisconsin. In a majority of these service areas, WellPointas plans do business as Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, or Empire Blue Cross (in the New York service areas). WellPoint also serves customers across the country through our UniCare subsidiary and in certain California, Arizona and Nevada markets through our CareMore subsidiary. Our 1-800 CONTACTS, Inc. subsidiary offers customers online sales of contact lenses, eyeglasses and other ocular products. Additional information about WellPoint is available at [ www.wellpoint.com ].
About Healthways
Healthways is the largest independent global provider of well-being improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities. We provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and their team of experts to optimize each participantas health and productivity and to reduce health-related costs. Results are achieved by addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now serves approximately 40 million people on four continents. Learn more at [ www.healthways.com ].