UnitedHealthcare to Expand Use of Real Appeal Weight-Loss Program
October 05 2016 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
- More than 4 out of 5 participants
who completed Real Appeal have lost weight
- The first health plan to provide
Real Appeal to customers across the United States
- Proven weight-loss program available
at no additional cost to employees as part of their
UnitedHealthcare benefits plan
More than 2.4 million people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare
employer-sponsored health plans will have access to Real Appeal, a
personalized, interactive online weight-loss program that uses
personal coaches and an Internet TV show to motivate people to lose
weight, and get active and healthy.
Real Appeal helps people reduce their risk for weight-related
health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Recent
results show that 82 percent of people who completed the program
lost weight; 38 percent achieved clinically relevant weight loss (5
percent or more).
Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, UnitedHealthcare plan participants who
enroll in Real Appeal will be able to view an online TV show
featuring a Hollywood cast; participate in live, face-to-face video
conferencing and interactive messaging; receive appointment
scheduling, alerts and reminders; and track their goals – all from
the convenience of a mobile phone, tablet or computer. To see Real
Appeal in action, click here.
UnitedHealthcare is the first health plan to offer Real Appeal
to fully insured customers with more than 100 employees across the
United States, and the program is available at no additional cost
to employees as part of their UnitedHealthcare benefits plan.
“Real Appeal creates an environment that keeps people intrigued,
and works to ensure their healthier behaviors stick for a
lifetime,” said Jeff Alter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s Commercial
Group business. “We are thrilled to offer Real Appeal to our
employer customers across the country to promote weight loss and
help millions of people get on the road to better health.”
Designed to help solve America’s obesity and diabetes epidemic,
Real Appeal gives people tools and resources to help them succeed
in their weight-loss journey. Since its launch last year, Real
Appeal has helped people achieve weight loss and reduce their risk
for diabetes and other obesity-related conditions.
Real Appeal is built on the findings of extensive clinical
research on diabetes prevention and obesity that included more than
10,000 participants and $700 million in funding over 15 years. The
goal of Real Appeal is to reduce the possibility of significant
obesity-related health issues and deliver medical cost-savings.
“Weight-related health issues have reached an epidemic level and
are taking a significant toll on our country’s health and financial
resources,” said Sam Ho, M.D., executive vice president and chief
medical officer, UnitedHealthcare. “We are encouraged by the value
Real Appeal has demonstrated by enabling people to lose weight,
make better choices and live healthier lives.”
More than 100,000 participants have registered in Real Appeal
since launching last year. Of those who completed the program: 82
percent lost weight; the average number of pounds lost per person
is 10; and 38 percent have had clinically relevant weight loss (5
percent or more), putting them on a path to reduce their risk for
weight-related health conditions such as heart disease and
diabetes. To hear Real Appeal participants’ success stories, click
here.
UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, was among
the first large employers to offer Real Appeal to U.S.-based
employees. Other large customers – including 1-800 Flowers, the
State of Colorado, the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the
School District of Palm Beach County in Florida – are making Real
Appeal available to their employees and are already seeing positive
results.
“Real Appeal is a win-win. It helps our employees improve their
health and often results in meaningful weight loss,” said Dianne
Howard, director of Risk and Benefits Management, The School
District of Palm Beach County. “Losing weight helps reduce the risk
for diabetes and other diseases associated with obesity, which in
turn helps reduce health care costs. Our employees are responding
positively, and we’re pleased to see strong results that we believe
will continue to make a difference.”
Porter Wilson, executive director, Employees Retirement System
of Texas, said: “We have the opportunity to make a real impact on
the obesity and diabetes epidemic that is taking a significant toll
on the health and financial resources of the state workforce, and
at the same time, deliver savings to taxpayers and state health
plan participants. By working with UnitedHealthcare to offer Real
Appeal, we are helping our employees and their families slim down
and get healthier.”
Real Appeal’s message of small changes for lasting weight loss
and better health helps drive participation and weight-loss rates
among its enrollees. Participant satisfaction with Real Appeal
among initial enrollees is 4.84 out of a possible score of 5, with
5 being an “amazing” experience.
About
UnitedHealthcareUnitedHealthcare 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 more than 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.
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth
Group.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161005005147/en/
UnitedHealthcareLynne High, 952-979-5861lynne_m_high@uhc.com
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024