Most of those who tried this year to improve their diet or fitness levels did so “on their own” or are still “working on it,” according to a 2014 U.S. national survey by Cigna. The research has found that most blame themselves for a lack of will power (40%) or by being distracted (42%).
To tackle this problem, Cigna unveiled a new program called Cigna Health Matters, which is described as a suite of health coaching tools designed to help users set and meet health goals by matching every user to the right tool at the right time. Included in the deal is a new digital ecosystem that encompasses online, mobile, social media, gamification and Web-based incentives to help Cigna customers improving their (employees’) health and costs.
“By combining clinical insights, health coaches, digital tools, measurement and reward engines, we have our customers’ backs to help them get on the right path, and stay on it, for better health for themselves and their families,” says Eric Herbek, Cigna VP of Product Development, Consumer Health Engagement.
The service starts with a gamified health assessment or health survey that customers engage with as they enroll in their health plan.The service starts with a gamified health assessment or health survey that customers engage with as they enroll in their health plan. By gamifying this process, completion rates have soared from the typical rates of 30 to 90 percent.
The health assessment, along with other health information such as Body Mass Index (BMI), cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as consumer engagement and preference insights are all used to create the patent-pending Health Matters Score. This new tool is designed to anticipate customer needs and provide the right tool to address those needs. The score continually evolves to reflect changes in the individual’s health status and engagement preferences.
Cigna has also introduced an Apps & Activities feature, which is a curated app store that provides opportunities to link the most popular and effective health improvement apps to plan-sponsored incentive programs.
Cigna has also introduced an Apps & Activities feature.Again, customers are presented with a survey to discover what apps and devices may best support them on their unique health journey. They [customers] can then track their progress across all apps used, and even earn rewards for certain activities and achievements.
During the first half of 2014, Cigna has administered the distribution of more than $25 million in rewards for 275,000 Cigna customers who successfully completed 532,000 health goals.