UnitedHealthcare and Novu Launch Online Portal That Enables Medicare Beneficiaries to Create Their Own Personalized Wellness Programs

MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UnitedHealthcare and Novu are launching an innovative online portal, www.uhc.novu.com, that enables people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans to create their own health-improvement and wellness programs.

“We partnered with UnitedHealthcare to create this platform because both companies share a commitment to developing innovative technologies that help people improve their health and wellness.”

The UnitedHealthcare-Novu program is available at no charge now to UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plan members in New Jersey, Wisconsin and Washington state. This expanded pilot builds on the company’s successful initial test of the program, which started in October 2012 and included about 90,000 members in Texas, Ohio, Arizona and Colorado.

The UnitedHealthcare-Novu platform enables UnitedHealthcare Medicare plan members to create a personalized wellness program by registering and completing a confidential holistic health evaluation that helps them measure their fitness, nutrition and overall life balance. Based on their responses, a tailored health and wellness program is recommended that features customized coaching, nutrition and fitness goals that can be achieved in specific, manageable steps. Each program is two weeks in length and focuses on attainable goals to success.

All of the content is designed to help Medicare consumers feel supported and motivated to achieve their personal goals. As members reach milestones, they receive daily program activities and incentives such as reward points that can be used to purchase raffle tickets and receive discounts on local services and health and wellness products. In addition, members have the option to join or create social groups in which they can gauge each other’s activity, encourage their peers and give advice about healthy living.

The website is secure, and no personal health information can be shared with anyone. Participation in the UnitedHealthcare-Novu program will not affect any member’s Medicare eligibility or costs.

“We believe this easy-to-use online program will empower people to take a more active role in their daily health routines by enabling them to tailor personal wellness programs based on their own unique health needs,” said Tom Wicka, president of Novu. “We partnered with UnitedHealthcare to create this platform because both companies share a commitment to developing innovative technologies that help people improve their health and wellness.”

“This new platform will help Medicare beneficiaries enhance their health and quality of life by combining a holistic program that values the member, rewards their efforts, celebrates their victories and supports them on a personal level,” said Jeff Shoemate, vice president of innovation and business development at UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.

NOTE: Media interested in viewing a demonstration of the new site may email [e-mail].

About Novu
Novu is a Minneapolis-based innovative health technology company with the sole purpose of changing the way health and wellness are delivered and impacting the daily healthy lifestyle habits of the population. For more information please visit www.novu.com or contact us at [phone].

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare (www.uhc.com) 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 and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with 780,000 physicians and other care professionals and 5,900 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 40 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.

The products and services described above are neither offered nor guaranteed under UnitedHealthcare’s contract with the Medicare program. In addition, they are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products and services may be subject to the UnitedHealthcare’s or NOVU’s grievance process, depending on the nature of the dispute.

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