UnitedHealthcare and Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), through its wholly owned subsidiary Qualcomm Life, Inc., today announced UnitedHealthcare Motion™, a new wellness program that provides employees with wearable devices at no additional charge and enables them to earn up to $1,460 per year by meeting certain goals for the number of daily steps.
UnitedHealthcare Motion is being showcased for the first time at this year's Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference (HIMSS), the industry-leading health information technology conference. The UnitedHealthcare Motion app will be displayed at the Qualcomm Life booth (No. 6437) at HIMSS 2016.
The collaboration between the two companies will seek to develop and deliver connected health solutions to employees and consumers across the United States. The collaboration will focus on new UnitedHealthcare programs and services that incorporate the latest generation of wearables, medical devices and home diagnostic tests that utilize Qualcomm Life's 2net™ Platform for medical-grade connectivity.
UnitedHealthcare Motion – designed for UnitedHealthcare plan participants enrolled in high-deductible health plans – is now available to employers and their employees in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C. Additional markets will be added in 2016. Employers interested in the wellness program can contact their local UnitedHealthcare salesperson or go to www.uhc.com.
The wellness program and related fitness trackers are being offered initially to companies with 101 to 300 employees with a fully insured health plan. Employees and their covered spouses receive custom-designed wearable devices that track the number of steps users take each day. Unlike other wearable devices that simply track the total number of steps, the UnitedHealthcare Motion devices tabulate the total number, frequency and intensity of the steps taken, providing a more accurate and comprehensive summary of the user's daily activity. The data is then sent to the UnitedHealthcare Motion app, which is powered with seamless and secure connectivity through Qualcomm Life's 2net Mobile connectivity platform. Employees can earn Health Reimbursement Account credits that can total up to $1,460 per year, while employers can obtain premium savings based on program participants' combined results.
"We're excited to collaborate with UnitedHealthcare to power its connected care solutions, starting with the UnitedHealthcare Motion program," said James Mault, M.D., F.A.C.S., vice president and chief medical officer of Qualcomm Life, Inc. "UnitedHealthcare's leadership in innovation and broad reach across the United States, combined with Qualcomm Life's medical-grade connectivity solutions, enables personalized, connected care to health care consumers nationwide."
The wearable-technology market is expanding rapidly, with gross revenues expected to reach $2 billion by the end of 2015, according to a recent research report. An estimated 20 percent of adults already own a wearable device, with millennials the most common users.
"UnitedHealthcare Motion brings together wearable technology, telemedicine and wellness incentives to empower employees to take charge of their health, while enabling employers to more effectively manage health care costs," said Sam Ho, M.D., chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare. "Employees can improve their health by walking each day and earn financial rewards at the same time, using secure technology that is simple, intuitive and convenient."
About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
* 2net is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries.
| The wearable devices available through UnitedHealthcare Motion are small, sleek and versatile, with the option for users to wear around their wrist or attached to a garment of clothing. | The wearable devices available through UnitedHealthcare Motion tabulate the total number, frequency and intensity of steps taken, providing an accurate and comprehensive summary of the user's daily activity. |
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