Wearable Devices Integrate with Wellness Program

UnitedHealthcare Motion

Last year, UnitedHealthcare and Qualcomm introduced UnitedHealthcare Motion as a pilot program that integrates new wearable devices with wellness programs and allows people to earn financial rewards for being active. The program was built around Qualcomm Life’s 2net™ Platform* for medical-grade connectivity that features multiple safeguards to help keep data secure.

Following the successful test, the program has been expanded to 40 states — which includes Arizona — and will now include access to additional customized activity trackers through a “bring-your-own-device” (BYOD) model. The program is now available to self-funded employers with five or more eligible employees and companies with fully insured health plans with 101 or more eligible employees.

All UnitedHealthcare Motion devices enable employees to earn up to $4 per day in deductible credits based on F.I.T. goals, which stands for frequency of walking goals (six times per day with 300 steps within five minutes at least one hour apart), intensity (3,000 steps within 30 minutes) and tenacity (10,000 total steps each day). Employers can obtain premium savings based on program participants’ combined F.I.T. results. Studies show people who consistently achieve the F.I.T. goals tend to improve their health and reduce their medical expenses.