Elevance Health Addresses Healthcare’s Digital Divide by Increasing Access to High-Quality Smartphones and Health-Related Digital Services
January 10 2024 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Elevance Health gives eligible consumers
no-cost access to customized suite of digital and virtual health
tools through funding from the Affordable Connectivity Program
Elevance Health announced at the Consumer Electronics Show 2024
that it will launch a first-of-its-kind program that will offer
high-quality smartphones with unlimited data, talk, and texting
service at no cost to eligible individuals enrolled in some of its
affiliated Medicaid health plans. These devices will be preloaded
with a customized experience and give individuals access to digital
and virtual healthcare tools that they might otherwise not have
had.
“Increased availability of digital technologies, such as a
smartphone, as well as fast, reliable internet is critical to
supporting a person’s health journey," said Omid Toloui, Vice
President, Innovation, at Elevance Health. “We believe the digital
tools and the custom, curated experience offered through this
program can help improve health, make healthcare more affordable,
and serve people more equitably.”
This effort is a result of a collaboration between Elevance
Health and Verizon, together with Samsung, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
It is supported by funding from the Federal Communications
Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Elevance
Health’s program is different from other ACP benefits because of
its high-quality offerings, customization, and healthcare
focus.
Nearly one in four U.S. adults with household incomes below
$30,000 a year do not own a smartphone, and 43% do not have home
broadband internet services. Among these, half report the high cost
of connectivity as the reason for such unavailability. This program
is designed to help close the gap between individuals who have
access to digital tools and those who do not, and offer
easy-to-access benefits digitally as part of their Medicaid
plan.
The provided smartphones will serve as a connection point for
individuals to reach their Medicaid health plan care team, who can
help address their whole-health needs. Program participants will
have access to complementary educational materials on how to use
and navigate the smartphone as well as a dedicated customer service
call center for support, if needed.
"The lack of sufficient internet connectivity and technology
access remains a significant barrier for many – increasing health
inequities," said Kurt Small, President of Elevance Health’s
Medicaid business. “This program aims to directly address this
challenge and helps improve the health of the people we serve.”
The program will launch in multiple states in 2024, with the
ambitious goal of reaching hundreds of thousands of members within
Elevance Health's affiliated Medicaid plans.
To check eligibility and participate in the program, if
appropriate:
- Individuals will work with their Elevance Health affiliated
Medicaid health plan to check their eligibility for financial
support through the ACP.
- Eligible individuals will then work with their Medicaid health
plan to participate in the program.
- Once this program has been launched in respective states,
Medicaid members can contact member services using the number
listed on the back of their insurance card to learn more.
About Elevance Health
Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner fueled by
its purpose to improve the health of humanity. The company supports
consumers, families, and communities across the entire care journey
– connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to
lead healthier lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve
approximately 117 million people through a diverse portfolio of
industry-leading medical, digital, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical,
and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit
www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on Twitter and
Elevance Health on LinkedIn.
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Hieu Nguyen hieu.nguyen2@elevancehealth.com (202) 510-8848
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