SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 1, 2011) - SeeChange Health Insurance (www.SeeChangeHealth.com), a rapidly growing health insurance company that provides value-based health insurance plans to small and medium-sized employers, has signed an agreement with Withings (www.withings.com), an innovator of connected health and wellness products, to make available home scales and blood pressure monitors to individuals enrolled in a SeeChange Health plan.
Under the terms of agreement, SeeChange Health will serve as a reseller of Withings household health devices to SeeChange Health plan members. For those plan members who have a Health Incentive Account (HIA) funded by SeeChange Health, the devices can be purchased with HIA dollars, meaning the individuals are able to obtain the state-of-the-art scales and blood pressure monitors at no out-of-pocket cost.
"The exciting aspect of this agreement is that the scales and BP monitors from Withings are equipped with simple WiFi-enabled interfaces that allow individuals to transmit their weight and BP readings directly into their confidential, personal Health Action Plan on MySeeChangeHealth.com through a secure Internet connection, as well as to any iPhone, iPad or Android-based mobile device they may own," said Martin Watson, SeeChange Health's chief executive officer. "These tools allow our members to take daily medical readings, which are central to preventive care maintenance. Being up to date on their health status enables our members to work more closely with their medical providers to make sure they are getting all necessary care."
Completing a statewide expansion into all of California last month, the innovative SeeChange Health group product offers employers increased access to preventive care and employee incentives to encourage healthy behavior. Unlike standard health insurance with traditional wellness programs, SeeChange Health is engaging its enrolled individuals in proactive health management, focusing on early detection of chronic conditions. Financial incentives include providing from $200 to $1,000 credit annually to an HIA and/or reducing total out-of-pocket exposure if they and their spouse simply take three steps: see their doctor for a preventive exam, take a basic lab test, and fill out a health questionnaire.
"We are committed to this value-based health plan model because we believe it will save lives, keep individuals healthier and ultimately make health insurance more affordable for small businesses to obtain for their employees," said Watson. "The agreement with Withings is another piece in our strategy of deploying the best available technologies that support value-based health benefits and robust data analytics that will help improve the health profile of our plan members. Indeed, this is the first of several other innovative, technology-based devices we will be rolling out to our members over the next several months."
About SeeChange Health
SeeChange Health is the leader in value-based benefit design solutions for employers -- delivering the plans and services they are looking for to create better health and quality of life for employees, increase workforce productivity and lower their health care costs. SeeChange Health's unique approach encourages individuals to play an active role in the management of their own health to prevent, detect and treat today's most serious health conditions. SeeChange Health Insurance provides value-based benefit plans to fully insured employer groups -- and is the first to bring this unique approach to small and midsize companies. SeeChange Health Solutions provides flexible, efficient administrative services with the proven cost-control advantages of value-based benefit designs to self-insured employers. SeeChange Health Solutions also provides the leading consumer engagement and health incentive platform to employers, health plans and third party administrators. For more information, go to www.seechangehealth.com.
Contact Information:
Editorial Contacts:
Haese & Wood
Marilyn Haese
Daryn Teague
(310) 556-9612