Aetna Launching New Apple Watch Health Coach Program 'Attain' in Spring 2019

[MacRumors]

Aetna, the third-largest health insurance provider in the United States, today announced the upcoming launch of Attain, a personalized well-being app for iPhone and Apple Watch created in collaboration with Apple.

Through the use of an Apple Watch, the Attain app will provide Aetna members with personalized goals, track their daily activity levels, and recommend healthy lifestyle choices. For completing these actions, participants will earn points, which can be put towards the cost of an Apple Watch or gift cards.

Attain will motivate participants to complete personalized daily and weekly activity challenges based on their age, gender, and weight. Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch.

The app will also prompt participants with healthy action notifications, including reminders to meet activity goals, get vaccinations such as the flu shot, refill medication prescriptions, visit a primary care physician if they have not had a recent office visit, and more, according to Aetna.

To participate in the program, Aetna members will need an iPhone 5s or newer and an Apple Watch Series 1 or newer.

Attain participants will have the option to share their health data with Apple, enabling Apple and Aetna to collaborate and continue to improve the program. Through analytics and machine learning, Aetna says the collaboration will lead to new features for Attain, including more personalized recommendations.

Apple's COO and Apple Watch chief Jeff Williams:

Every day, we receive emails and letters from people all over the world who have found great benefit by incorporating Apple Watch into their lives and daily routines. As we learn over time, the goal is to make more customized recommendations that will help members accomplish their goals and live healthier lives.

Attain is a completely voluntary program in which members determine what information they want to share and can discontinue using the app at any time. All health data is encrypted on the device, in transit, and on Aetna and Apple's servers, where it will be stored with industry-leading HIPAA-compliant security practices.

Information from this program will not be used for underwriting, premium, or coverage decisions, according to Aetna, which was acquired by CVS Health last year. Instead, the idea seems to be that healthier customers will result in Aetna receiving fewer insurance claims, thereby saving it money.

Aetna expects the Attain app to be available in the App Store in Spring 2019. Interested members can sign up at AttainbyAetna.com to be notified when the app becomes available for download in the coming months.

In 2016, Aetna offered the Apple Watch free of charge to 50,000 employees.

Article Link: Aetna Launching New Apple Watch Health Coach Program 'Attain' in Spring 2019

 

[Steve121178]

"Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch"

I wouldn't get any work done if I did everything my Apple Watch demanded. It's already becoming a digital version of a nagging wife.

I love it how Apple & their algorithms think I have nothing better to do than leap & prance around the office & home all day long.

 

[Baumi]

Information from this program will not be used for underwriting, premium, or coverage decisions, according to Aetna

Yeah sure. Remember how Facebook said they were going to keep WhatsApp as a standalone product…?

 

[allenvanhellen]

Hand information on my daily habits to my health insurance company. Gee, what could go wrong with that?

 

[hbt15]

An up to the minute log of everything you do health wise, spoon fed direct to your insurance provider. Yeah, this is no cause for concern at all.

 

[SHirsch999]

A couple of years ago there was mention that Aetna would be subsidizing the Apple Watch for members (one of the links in this article goes to that article). Did this ever happen? If it did, how to we get access to it?

 

[NachoGrande]

That's a hard pass.

 

[neuropsychguy]

A couple of years ago there was mention that Aetna would be subsidizing the Apple Watch for members (one of the links in this article goes to that article). Did this ever happen? If it did, how to we get access to it?

No, it didn't happen.

 

[HarryKeogh]

Unlike a nagging wife, you can turn those notifications off.

"Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch"

I wouldn't get any work done if I did everything my Apple Watch demanded. It's already becoming a digital version of a nagging wife.

I love it how Apple & their algorithms think I have nothing better to do than leap & prance around the office & home all day long.

 

[Rogifan]

"Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch"

I wouldn't get any work done if I did everything my Apple Watch demanded. It's already becoming a digital version of a nagging wife.

I love it how Apple & their algorithms think I have nothing better to do than leap & prance around the office & home all day long.

What is your watch bugging you to do? You know you can turn off the activity related notifications.
[doublepost=1548763793][/doublepost]

A couple of years ago there was mention that Aetna would be subsidizing the Apple Watch for members (one of the links in this article goes to that article). Did this ever happen? If it did, how to we get access to it?

UnitedHealthcare has a program that subsidized the cost of AW.

https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/newsroom/2018/2018-11-15-apple-watch-uhc-wearable.html
[doublepost=1548763936][/doublepost]

Hand information on my daily habits to my health insurance company. Gee, what could go wrong with that?

So you wouldn’t want financial incentives for being healthier. I’ll give my insurance company information on my steps/workout activity if it helps buy down my deductible. That’s what most of these programs do. And they’re all voluntary.

 

[keysofanxiety]

"Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch"

I wouldn't get any work done if I did everything my Apple Watch demanded. It's already becoming a digital version of a nagging wife.

I love it how Apple & their algorithms think I have nothing better to do than leap & prance around the office & home all day long.

Moving around for a minute once every hour = leaping & prancing around the office all day long? Talk about hyperbole...

Personally I find the stand goals helpful as I lose track of time about how long I sit at a desk job. Otherwise, you can turn the notifications off. I don't see the issue.

 

[netdudeuk]

Hand information on my daily habits to my health insurance company. Gee, what could go wrong with that?

My thoughts too.

I'd say that for me, the best thing about my Apple Watch Series 3 is to close the rings every day.

However, why would you share this sort of information with anyone (not specifically this company) who could call you out for it later ?

 

[ugahairydawgs]

"Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch"

I wouldn't get any work done if I did everything my Apple Watch demanded. It's already becoming a digital version of a nagging wife.

I love it how Apple & their algorithms think I have nothing better to do than leap & prance around the office & home all day long.

If only you could turn those notifications off....

Oh, wait....

 

[jclardy]

Yeah sure. Remember how Facebook said they were going to keep WhatsApp as a standalone product…?

Yeah, that is my issue with it. They say that now, but what about two years from now when their new CTO has a brilliant idea - “Let’s use all this data to give people “discounts” on insurance!” And they change their TOS. Don’t worry, you can just opt-out by changing your employer subsidized health insurance

 

[magicvash]

As a physician, I will be perfectly frank and say that Aetna can literally go £$&? itself. They are consistently the one company that goes out of its way to screw their customers and prevent care from being delivered.

 

[Steve121178]

If only you could turn those notifications off....

Oh, wait....

I was being facetious.

 

[dominiongamma]

As a physician, I will be perfectly frank and say that Aetna can literally go £$&? itself. They are consistently the one company that goes out of its way to screw their customers and prevent care from being delivered.

Agree! They are the worst and screw their customers

 

[Mgkwho]

No, it didn't happen.

Yes, it did.

I ordered the newest model through them and the price is heavily subsidized. You can get two (or maybe three) generations ago for $25 (the smaller version).

A lot of people in my ~50ppl company have been taking advantage of the discount since it became available to us last June.

—=|Mgkwho

 

[djlythium]

“Information from this program will not be used for underwriting, premium, or coverage decisions, according to Aetna, which was acquired by CVS Health last year. Instead, the idea seems to be that healthier customers will result in Aetna receiving fewer insurance claims, thereby saving it money.“

Huh. You mean, a corporation actually thinks that prosperous people also make the company prosperous?!

Who knew?

Yeah sure. Remember how Facebook said they were going to keep WhatsApp as a standalone product…?

Wait: how is that an accurate comparison?

With that statement, Aetna would be setting themselves up for a massive lawsuit if they end up using the info to inform their customers’ policies and premiums (w/o an updated EULA, of course).

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t trust insurance corporations to ‘do the right thing’ out of sheer altruism, similar to your ostensible comparison above, but I DO think they would legally protect themselves as much as possible, which includes NOT going back on such a statement, especially given the current sociopolitical climate surrounding privacy.
[doublepost=1548769336][/doublepost]

"Attain's definition of activity includes walking, running, swimming, yoga, and other activities that can be tracked in the Workout app on the Apple Watch"

I wouldn't get any work done if I did everything my Apple Watch demanded. It's already becoming a digital version of a nagging wife.

I love it how Apple & their algorithms think I have nothing better to do than leap & prance around the office & home all day long.

Dooode, this! $20 says that even Apple employees turn off those aggravating notifications.

 

[marty11]

You need to evaluate your intelligence of you are dumb enough to give your insurance company access to health data from your watch.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Yes, it did.

I ordered the newest model through them and the price is heavily subsidized. You can get two (or maybe three) generations ago for $25 (the smaller version).

A lot of people in my ~50ppl company have been taking advantage of the discount since it became available to us last June.

—=|Mgkwho

Thanks for the clarification. Last time I checked (about 8 months ago), there were no reports of the subsidies happening.

For clarification - the initial reports in 2017 were that Apple Watches might be available for significant discounts to people with Aetna insurance. Currently, subsidies are only available for people on some (all?) Aetna Funding Advantage plans (only a small portion of all Aetna members). My work (large university) insurance is through Aetna but we do not have access to the subsidies (way too big of a plan).

 

[ugahairydawgs]

I was being facetious.

In that case, for me...

 

[andiwm2003]

...................................................
So you wouldn’t want financial incentives for being healthier. I’ll give my insurance company information on my steps/workout activity if it helps buy down my deductible. That’s what most of these programs do. And they’re all voluntary.

Unfortunately they are not so voluntary. If you don't join those program where you sign away your privacy you pay substantially more for health insurance. So we have the ridiculous situation that I'm not overweight, I don't drink,I do 10 hrs gym workout minimum a week plus occasional running, mountain biking, hiking, skiing and whatnot. Yet I pay more health insurance than my overweight, inactive, smoking colleagues because they participate in those programs with limited success. The only way to lower my health insurance bill (we talk about several hundred dollars) is to sign up for a "voluntary" program that send's my data to a third party. Then some random nurse that I never heard of calls me on a weekly basis and nags me if I'm taking my pills regularily and what pills I'm taking(I don't have any prescriptions for any pills) and I have to give them a detailed report what I did that day or week, how i feel, what I eat and what my weight is. Brave new world.....

 

[magicschoolbus]

Lol this is no different then that device that you plug into your car and send all of your data.. speed.. location.. etc to your insurance company.. NO WAY!

 

[Rogifan]

You need to evaluate your intelligence of you are dumb enough to give your insurance company access to health data from your watch.

Why? Why do people think it’s good for insurance companies to know as little as possible? How does that improve healthcare?
[doublepost=1548772576][/doublepost]

Unfortunately they are not so voluntary. If you don't join those program where you sign away your privacy you pay substantially more for health insurance. So we have the ridiculous situation that I'm not overweight, I don't drink,I do 10 hrs gym workout minimum a week plus occasional running, mountain biking, hiking, skiing and whatnot. Yet I pay more health insurance than my overweight, inactive, smoking colleagues because they participate in those programs with limited success. The only way to lower my health insurance bill (we talk about several hundred dollars) is to sign up for a "voluntary" program that send's my data to a third party. Then some random nurse that I never heard of calls me on a weekly basis and nags me if I'm taking my pills regularily and what pills I'm taking(I don't have any prescriptions for any pills) and I have to give them a detailed report what I did that day or week, how i feel, what I eat and what my weight is. Brave new world.....

I have a really hard time believing an insurance company is going to require a perfectly healthy person to provide information on what they eat, what they weigh, what pills they take (I’m assuming a perfectly healthy person isn’t taking pills). I don’t know what insurance you have but my insurance is nothing like that. The only people who would be required to do anything like that are people who specifically signed up for a weight loss program. My insurance company has a fit program where basically you can buy down your deductible just by meeting certain daily walking goals. They don’t offer it to us corporate employees yet but when they do I’ll be one of the first to sign up. Getting cheaper insurance for something I do every day anyway? Sign me up.