HealthyU insurance plan to pay cash rewards for healthy behavior

A new high-deductible insurance plan from UPMC Health Plan will reward members who become more involved in their healthcare decisions and exhibit healthy behaviors via participation in more than 100 approved activities.

Called HealthyU, plan members receive financial incentives deposited directly into a Health Incentive Account (HIA) by completing specific activities, such as preventive care visits, flu shots or participation in a health coaching program, among others. Incentive payments will be deposited into their HIA and can be used to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Funds remaining in the HIA can be rolled over each year.

"HealthyU is a unique combination of a high-deductible health plan and a healthy living rewards program," said Kimberly Cepullio, vice president of sales and account management for UPMC Health Plan in a press release announcing the new product. "Consumers who improve their health behaviors and become engaged in their medical care decisions have been shown to consistently improve their health and reduce their healthcare costs. HealthyU provides them with the incentives to achieve their healthcare goals."

The reasoning behind providing the incentives is based on the pattern of healthcare spending that shows more than 75 percent of costs are the result of treatment of chronic diseases, most of which develop over time based on behavioral patterns. By working to create healthier behaviors in plan members, the aim is to reduce current and future healthcare costs.

HealthyU also allows employers methods for directly addressing the rising cost of healthcare, via an online tool kit that provides resources to educate and engage employees in their health. The kit comes with a library of downloadable resources to answer employees' questions and to engage them to participate in healthy activities. Employees will also have online access to tools and information such as live chat, claims information, online lifestyle programs and the ability to manage healthcare costs.

UPMC Health Plan is western Pennsylvania's second largest health plan with more than 1.6 million members. It is owned by UPMC, a Pittsburgh-area integrated provider network that includes more than 20 hospitals and 400 doctors' offices.