Latest news with #MyHighmark
Business Journals
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Highmark Blue Shield enables digital front door for members with My Highmark app
Roughly two years from its initial launch, Highmark's My Highmark app has proven to be a popular digital front door to the insurer's services. 'If you think about what a typical health insurance experience might have been a couple of years ago, most people had to navigate lots of different apps and websites,' said Stacy Byers, senior vice president of experience, design and digital for Highmark Health. 'You might go to one place for just your insurance transactions. You might go to another place for your wellness program. You might go to another place to access virtual care. It was very fragmented with lots of login IDs and passwords to remember.' My Highmark consolidated all of that, creating a single point of contact for accessing all of Highmark's care and benefits resources. So far, more than 1.3 million users have signed onto the platform. High-tech collaboration Byers and her team were instrumental in Highmark's launch of My Highmark as its digital front door. They partnered with the Ontario-based health care technology company League, Google Cloud, and Highmark Health subsidiary, enGen, to create the app. Their goal: eliminate the need for customers to use multiple platforms to navigate their benefits while delivering a more personalized health care journey. The project required extensive cross-functional collaboration across product, digital product, design, sales, marketing, operations, technology and data. Still, the project moved quickly. It kicked off in May 2022, and the first version was available to Highmark employees and a small segment of members in January 2023. Throughout 2023, the team worked to add capabilities and members to the platform. Now, My Highmark is available to Highmark's commercial, Affordable Care Act, and Medicare Advantage members. Highmark continues to enhance the app and roll out significant updates. This summer, members will have access to a new provider directory with a smoother interface and improved data. 'We've done a massive data clean up, so when you look up a doctor, you can easily find their phone number and see if they're accepting new patients,' Byers said. What's inside My Highmark The My Highmark experience was built using human-centered design, a philosophy that Highmark adopted 15 years ago. This approach begins with understanding user problems and designing thoughtful solutions tailored to real-world needs. 'It is about understanding the problem and then designing the solution for the humans that are going to use a particular service,' Byers said. 'And it's not just for designers. It can actually help business people prioritize what it is that they're going to go do because they might understand that a certain feature is more helpful to their users than another feature.' Byers and her team started with the most common needs members have: find a doctor, check their claim status, understand their benefits and get customer support. Each of those functions is easy to access in My Highmark. Plus, the app's chatbot is programmed to address hundreds of issues. Then, if it isn't able to address a user's question, it seamlessly passes them onto a live customer service agent. Then, they added direct access to Highmark's many virtual care services. For example, members can set up and complete a virtual primary care visit directly through the app. They also can access its mental and behavioral health platform Mental Well-Being Powered by Spring Health and its virtual care platforms Virtual Pelvic Health, Bloom by Sword and Virtual Joint Health, Thrive by Sword. Benefits to employers Highmark's digital transformation isn't just about convenience; it's about improving health outcomes and reducing medical costs. The integration of diverse health benefits into a single platform creates a seamless, engaging experience that encourages preventative care and proactive health management. One of the ways it accomplishes this is by personalizing members' experiences. The My Highmark app prompts users to complete a health assessment and then uses the results to direct people to resources that are most relevant to them. 'We are only prompting you with the things that your coverage actually provides you access to,' Byers said. 'So you never have to have that disappointment of clicking on a link and realizing, 'Oh, it's not for me.'' For employers, the app gives employees a one-stop shop for information about their insurance coverage. This helps cut down on the time human resources team members have to spend answering basic questions. Employers can extend this capability by co- branding the app with their business and having Highmark add custom links to additional benefits programs they may offer, such as a dependent care account, transportation benefit or wellness rewards and incentives. 'Those wellness incentive programs start with the health risk assessment, which allows us to tailor their experience and prompt uses with the right information for how they can take advantage of Highmark resources on their health journey,' Byers said. By transforming health care access from a complicated maze of resources into a unified digital experience, Highmark aims to make navigating health care easier, getting the right care to the right people at the right time.
Business Journals
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield expands virtual care to include pelvic health, joint pain
Highmark is continuing its efforts to increase access to health care by offering new ways for members to receive care virtually. The most recent addition is Virtual Pelvic Health, Bloom by Sword, a program designed to address pelvic health dysfunction, such as bladder issues, chronic pelvic pain and other symptoms. Highmark introduced it in July 2024 and has since seen more than 10,000 members enroll. 'Virtual care is an important part of Highmark's overall Living Health strategy,' said Mari Vandenburgh, vice president of health programs and solutions. 'Highmark believes it's our responsibility to make it easier for members to access the care they need when they need it,' Vandenburgh said. 'As an integrated health system, we are in a unique position to break down barriers to care by offering ease of access and use through our virtual solutions that can complement the care members are receiving in person with their provider of choice.' A new approach The Virtual Pelvic Health program is Highmark's second with Sword Health Inc., a New York-based AI health company that specializes in digital health solutions. It is part of Highmark's benefits and available to eligible health plan members at no additional out-of- pocket cost. Participants simply enroll in the program through the My Highmark app or member portal. Once enrolled, participants are matched with a pelvic health clinician and receive an FDA-listed insertable device and access to a mobile app. A personalized set of pelvic floor exercises are recommended, and the sensor and app work together to monitor the force, endurance and accuracy of the pelvic floor muscles during the exercises. 'That real-time feedback helps participants maximize their results,' Vandenburgh said. 'The Virtual Pelvic Health program provides convenient, on-demand access to pelvic floor care that is focused on both strengthening and relaxation,' she said. 'The combination of the sensor and the feedback that a user receives in the app really helps to monitor progress in their program. The app also provides educational resources to individuals that help to support behavior change and habit formation in the population of individuals that could benefit from pelvic floor support.' Participants have reported significant improvements in their quality of life, including a reduction in symptoms they previously experienced. Additionally, the program has helped alleviate the stigma often associated with pelvic floor conditions, improving mental health. Virtual joint health The Virtual Pelvic Health program follows Highmark's introduction of Virtual Joint Health, Thrive by Sword to self-funded plans in 2022. In that program, a licensed physical therapist assigns a series of exercises for people looking to alleviate musculoskeletal pain based on their specific goals. Participants then receive a tablet they can use at home as they complete the exercises. The tablet is equipped with advanced motion sensing technology to provide real-time feedback and ensure people use proper form. It also shares data with their physical care specialist to monitor progress and, if necessary, adjust their recommended exercise plan to better accommodate their needs. 'It really enables members to address their joint health needs at the time that's most convenient for them,' Vandenburgh said. 'They can do the exercises in the comfort of their own home, and it reduces the barriers of time and access to care if there are delays in getting appointments.' In 2024, the insurer expanded it to fully insured plans. So far, more than 36,000 Highmark members have enrolled in the program. The feedback has been positive, Vandenburgh said, with 88% of participants describing it as easy to use and 72% completing the program. Health outcomes also have been strong, with 69% of participants reporting a significant improvement in their joint pain and 35% reduction in the intent to pursue surgery to address their pain. 'Another positive outcome that users report is that 26% say they saw an improvement in their work and productivity impairment,' she said. 'We're also monitoring the behavioral health impacts of joint health and increasing screenings for depression and anxiety.' Expanded reach Highmark's virtual care offerings include a virtual triage tool, virtual primary care, a virtual urgent care clinic and virtual specialty care clinics for behavioral health, women's health and dermatology, as well as a digital diabetes management solution. Offering on-demand, virtual care helps people get the care they need to improve their health while lowering costs, Vandenburgh said. The Virtual Joint Health program, for example, has reduced costs by $112 per member per month in comparison to a control group. That savings can then be reinvested back into delivering a remarkable health experience, so it's easier for members to engage and manage their health. 'Virtual Joint Health and Virtual Pelvic Health deliver a win-win combination by boosting employer productivity and lowering cost, while simultaneously enabling employees convenient access to care and improved quality of life,' she said. 'We see continued growth in engagement and enrollment in our digital solutions and programs year over year.' To learn more visit Lauren Lawley Head is a freelance writer.
Business Journals
02-06-2025
- Health
- Business Journals
Highmark Blue Shield expands virtual care to include pelvic health, joint pain
Highmark is continuing its efforts to increase access to health care by offering new ways for members to receive care virtually. The most recent addition is Virtual Pelvic Health, Bloom by Sword, a program designed to address pelvic health dysfunction, such as bladder issues, chronic pelvic pain and other symptoms. Highmark introduced it in July 2024 and has since seen more than 10,000 members enroll. 'Virtual care is an important part of Highmark's overall Living Health strategy,' said Mari Vandenburgh, vice president of health programs and solutions. 'Highmark believes it's our responsibility to make it easier for members to access the care they need when they need it,' Vandenburgh said. 'As an integrated health system, we are in a unique position to break down barriers to care by offering ease of access and use through our virtual solutions that can complement the care members are receiving in person with their provider of choice.' A new approach The Virtual Pelvic Health program is Highmark's second with Sword Health Inc., a New York-based AI health company that specializes in digital health solutions. It is part of Highmark's benefits and available to eligible health plan members at no additional out-of- pocket cost. Participants simply enroll in the program through the My Highmark app or member portal. Once enrolled, participants are matched with a pelvic health clinician and receive an FDA-listed insertable device and access to a mobile app. A personalized set of pelvic floor exercises are recommended, and the sensor and app work together to monitor the force, endurance and accuracy of the pelvic floor muscles during the exercises. 'That real-time feedback helps participants maximize their results,' Vandenburgh said. 'The Virtual Pelvic Health program provides convenient, on-demand access to pelvic floor care that is focused on both strengthening and relaxation,' she said. 'The combination of the sensor and the feedback that a user receives in the app really helps to monitor progress in their program. The app also provides educational resources to individuals that help to support behavior change and habit formation in the population of individuals that could benefit from pelvic floor support.' Participants have reported significant improvements in their quality of life, including a reduction in symptoms they previously experienced. Additionally, the program has helped alleviate the stigma often associated with pelvic floor conditions, improving mental health. Virtual joint health The Virtual Pelvic Health program follows Highmark's introduction of Virtual Joint Health, Thrive by Sword to self-funded plans in 2022. In that program, a licensed physical therapist assigns a series of exercises for people looking to alleviate musculoskeletal pain based on their specific goals. Participants then receive a tablet they can use at home as they complete the exercises. The tablet is equipped with advanced motion sensing technology to provide real-time feedback and ensure people use proper form. It also shares data with their physical care specialist to monitor progress and, if necessary, adjust their recommended exercise plan to better accommodate their needs. 'It really enables members to address their joint health needs at the time that's most convenient for them,' Vandenburgh said. 'They can do the exercises in the comfort of their own home, and it reduces the barriers of time and access to care if there are delays in getting appointments.' In 2024, the insurer expanded it to fully insured plans. So far, more than 36,000 Highmark members have enrolled in the program. The feedback has been positive, Vandenburgh said, with 88% of participants describing it as easy to use and 72% completing the program. Health outcomes also have been strong, with 69% of participants reporting a significant improvement in their joint pain and 35% reduction in the intent to pursue surgery to address their pain. 'Another positive outcome that users report is that 26% say they saw an improvement in their work and productivity impairment,' she said. 'We're also monitoring the behavioral health impacts of joint health and increasing screenings for depression and anxiety.' Expanded reach Highmark's virtual care offerings include a virtual triage tool, virtual primary care, a virtual urgent care clinic and virtual specialty care clinics for behavioral health, women's health and dermatology, as well as a digital diabetes management solution. Offering on-demand, virtual care helps people get the care they need to improve their health while lowering costs, Vandenburgh said. The Virtual Joint Health program, for example, has reduced costs by $112 per member per month in comparison to a control group. That savings can then be reinvested back into delivering a remarkable health experience, so it's easier for members to engage and manage their health. 'Virtual Joint Health and Virtual Pelvic Health deliver a win-win combination by boosting employer productivity and lowering cost, while simultaneously enabling employees convenient access to care and improved quality of life,' she said. 'We see continued growth in engagement and enrollment in our digital solutions and programs year over year.' To learn more visit Lauren Lawley Head is a freelance writer.
