Industry Event Session Recap: AHIP

On Wednesday, June 22nd, Virgin Pulse and three of our most innovative and strategic health plan clients, including Priority Health, Medica, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina took the stage at this year's AHIP 2022 conference in Las Vegas.

AHIP is an annual conference that draws together industry experts, policymakers, academics, and thought leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities guiding greater health. Health care professionals from around the country come together to discuss strategies and initiatives forced on health policy, health insurance provider operations, and public programs.

Virgin Pulse's CRO, Andrew Reeves led our session, Delivering Meaningful Experiences at Scale, and was joined by:

• Ken Dickson, Senior Director, Commercial Product Strategy & Development, Medica
• Kasey How, Director, Product Development/Management & Marketing Communications, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
• Megan Schmidt, Senior Vice President, Employer Solutions, Priority Health

Check out a recap as covered by Becker's of the session below:

As payers increasingly look to meet their members where they are, digital solutions, platforms and benefits have become a widespread expectation from consumers and employers.

But choosing the right vendor to partner with on what will be a long and complex integration process is key to ensuring the program's success and above all, improving members' health.

Becker's sat down with product executives at three leading payers from across the country to learn more about where they are in the process of implementing or using Virgin Pulse digital health and well-being platforms to improve patient outcomes — and what other payers should know when looking to invest similarly.

Priority Health 

All of Priority Health's commercial, individual and Medicare members have access to the Virgin Pulse Wellbeing Hub, which is about 800,000 people. The Wellbeing Hub has tools and resources designed to help members track their health behaviors and learn new behaviors to improve their health. Large commercial groups have access to PriorityWell, which includes more engagement opportunities such as robust digital journeys, incentives, programs and challenges.

Though only recently launched this year, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Priority says it expects the new offerings to translate into higher member productivity, less illness and chronic disease, and improved overall mental well-being. 

"We're really confident that this is a comprehensive approach to employer well-being and member health engagement that will garner positive outcomes and results that we're looking for," Alicia Coronas, vice president of employer solutions products, said. "It's really about helping our community of members that we serve to manage and improve their health beyond just processing claims and other responsibilities."

Medica 

Medica is a Minnetonka, Minn.-based payer that provides health coverage to 1.5 million members across 12 states.

Medica has offered digital health and well-being platforms to its members for over two decades and has been with Virgin Pulse for four years. Through the platform, members can access health journeys, healthy habits resources, incentives and challenges, and integrate their health journey with wearables. Ken Dickson is the company's senior director of commercial product strategy and development and said the two companies also integrate their individual third-party point solutions with one another.

"They help us keep up and we push each other to get better in our spaces," he said. "I think we do it better together than we could if either of us were doing it by ourselves."

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

Columbia-based BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is the state's largest payer and has operated there for more than 70 years. 

BCBS is currently in the throes of implementing its partnership with the Virgin Pulse platform and expects just under a million members to gain access starting in 2023.

Kasey How is the director of product development/management and marketing communications and said the Virgin offerings that appealed to the company include how it engages with members, the platform customization, the ease of integration with BCBS, the nonstatic experiences and the cost.

"When we make these transitions, it's not a quick turn," she said. "When we're making the investment of time and resources, we want to make sure that we're finding a partner that can be that fit in the long term."

To view the full recap, check out Becker's coverage of the session here.