UnitedHealthcare Offering Insured Members Free Year of Apple Fitness+

[MacRumors]

Health insurance provider UnitedHealthcare has announced that a 12-month subscription to Apple Fitness+ will be provided to its fully insured members at no extra cost.

Starting November 1, members who already own an Apple Watch will be able to sign up for a yearlong Apple Fitness+ subscription for free. According to UnitedHealthcare, this covers about 3 million of its members across most states.

Employers with self-funded health plans will, starting next year, be able to purchase an "Apple Fitness Bundle," which provides a 12-month subscription to Apple Fitness+ as well as a $25 Apple digital gift card, said the insurer.

"Making Apple Fitness+ available to millions of UnitedHealthcare members is part of our broader effort to help people engage in their well-being and get and stay healthier," said Rebecca Madsen, chief consumer officer, UnitedHealthcare. "One way to achieve these goals is to help people enhance their fitness, with many individuals turning to on-demand and digital resources to help get or stay motivated. We are pleased to be the first health insurance plan to provide this type of access to Apple Fitness+."

In addition to the 12-month subscription at no additional charge, UnitedHealthcare Motion enrollees can now use program incentives earned to cover an ongoing Apple Fitness+ monthly subscription ($9.99). UnitedHealthcare Motion is a wearable device well-being program available for purchase to employers with self-funded or fully insured plans, and enables members to earn financial incentives for completing daily activities goals.

"We are very excited to work with UnitedHealthcare to bring this offer for Apple Fitness+ to millions of people who are looking to get and stay motivated to live a healthier lifestyle," said Jay Blahnik, senior director of Fitness Technologies at Apple. "With our welcoming trainer team that lead a variety of workouts fueled by music that will keep you going from start to finish, the new guided Meditations coming next week, and the metrics from your Apple Watch right on the screen, Fitness+ has many ways to keep you active no matter where you are on your fitness journey."

The initiative follows a similar one announced in January by the insurer that offered five free months of Fitness+ to all enrollees with an Apple Watch.

Article Link: UnitedHealthcare Offering Insured Members Free Year of Apple Fitness+

 

[GDF]

So, what does fully insured mean? We have UH through work, as HSA? Is that not fully insured?

 

[Freeangel1]

COOL! thats me. awesome.

 

[Cobalt50]

I"m looking forward to the day when you have to complete all your activity circles or your rates will go up.

 

[johnjcarter]

I’d much rather have them lower my rates.

 

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

What a joke. Of course i will not be popular with this comment, but if you have a problem or just want to do better and can't do anything without subscribing to this nonsense then you have a bigger problem.

 

[211]

What a joke. Of course i will not be popular with this comment, but if you have a problem or just want to do better and can't do anything without subscribing to this nonsense then you have a bigger problem.

It’s about motivation. I’m not overweight or have “problems” as such, but I don’t do any exercise as I can’t be bothered. Until I started using  Fitness+. You really want to close those rings and those exercises encourage you to do so

 

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It’s about motivation. I’m not overweight or have “problems” as such, but I don’t do any exercise as I can’t be bothered. Until I started using  Fitness+. You really want to close those rings and those exercises encourage you to do so

Motivation I get when I wake up and look in a bathroom mirror. People have no shame these days, broadcasting their weakness left and right. This is absolutely unacceptable.

 

[contacos]

Motivation I get when I wake up and look in a bathroom mirror. People have no shame these days, broadcasting their weakness left and right. This is absolutely unacceptable.

what does that have to do with Fitness+? They are showing and coaching you how to do certain work outs correctly. It is not like you subscribe to a guy telling you to get up in the morning to go running

 

[richardamp]

So, what does fully insured mean? We have UH through work, as HSA? Is that not fully insured?

There is no obvious way to know. However, almost all large companies are self-insured which means the company pays all the medical costs and just use the insurance company for their provider network and administrative functions like processing the claims. Smaller companies tend to be fully insured, which means the insurance company takes the risk and pays all the medical costs. All individual / family plans you buy through the exchange are fully insured.

 

[deeddawg]

I"m looking forward to the day when you have to complete all your activity circles or your rates will go up.

Sorta happening already - my company gives a health insurance discount if you accumulate enough points in Virgin Pulse every quarter, which happens with step counts and informational quizes and logging workouts via fitness tracker or smartwatch.

So effectively - the less active (or those who don't log their activities) pay a higher rate.

 

[yaxomoxay]

What a joke. Of course i will not be popular with this comment, but if you have a problem or just want to do better and can't do anything without subscribing to this nonsense then you have a bigger problem.

Different type of mindsets, lifestyles, and workouts require different things. I wake up at 3:30 and I am at the gym at 5 am, no need for an app. However, when I do yoga at night I use an app (Down Dog Yoga), for which I pay for and is fantastic. Why? Because 1) I need someone that tells me to do what I don't really want to do (it's boring) but I know I need to do 2) Timings. The app easily tells me how to time my stretches/poses, without having me figure it out. 3) it's good to keep records of what I did 4) the app shows moves very well, which allows me to correct my poses. 5) the app and workouts are totally customizable, with different types of yogas (even chair yoga, useful at the office), and different levels (beginner to expert), and different speeds etc.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

42% of adult Americans are obese. 75% are overweight. Most walking around with type 2 diabetes, developing heart disease etc and don’t even know it. God bless Apple for their ongoing health innovations.

 

[yaxomoxay]

Motivation I get when I wake up and look in a bathroom mirror.

Good for you. Really.
The remaining 7,791,549,864 people in the world might have their own reasons, motivations, goals etc.

 

[yaxomoxay]

42% of adult Americans are obese. 75% are overweight. Most walking around with type 2 diabetes, developing heart disease etc and don’t even know it. God bless Apple for their ongoing health innovations.

Very true, and the outlook is not good either according to the studies.
However, the true culprit is not really lack of exercise (which is indeed important), but diet. The American diet truly sucks, and sodas are destructive. I am not sure even Apple can help with that.

 

[deeddawg]

what does that have to do with Fitness+? They are showing and coaching you how to do certain work outs correctly. It is not like you subscribe to a guy telling you to get up in the morning to go running

Probably has more to do with that individual's own insecurities than anything else - Notice that self-image is central to that person's motivation. Seems to be the common root for the other deprecating comments.

While I don't use Fitness+, I can understand why many would appreciate the content, allowing them to do a pseudo "group class" without schlepping to a gym somewhere - as well as learning and trying different sorts of stuff. Same for stuff like Peloton or Swift or any of the other various sorts of similar online/community stuff.

 

[deeddawg]

However, the true culprit is not really lack of exercise (which is indeed important), but diet. The American diet truly sucks, and sodas are destructive. I am not sure even Apple can help with that.

Indeed. It's said "you can't outrun a bad diet"... 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🧁🧁

 

[johnjcarter]

Very true, and the outlook is not good either according to the studies.
However, the true culprit is not really lack of exercise (which is indeed important), but diet. The American diet truly sucks, and sodas are destructive. I am not sure even Apple can help with that.

100% Correct. You can’t out move crappy eating patterns. Bottom line is America is full of fat people. They are everywhere.

 

[yaxomoxay]

Probably has more to do with that individual's own insecurities than anything else - Notice that self-image is central to that person's motivation. Seems to be the common root for the other deprecating comments.

While I don't use Fitness+, I can understand why many would appreciate the content, allowing them to do a pseudo "group class" without schlepping to a gym somewhere - as well as learning and trying different sorts of stuff. Same for stuff like Peloton or Swift or any of the other various sorts of similar online/community stuff.

I just wished that more people realized that no one cares about how you look or what you do at most gyms. Literally everyone minds his or her own business, trying to survive the workout of the day.

 

[yaxomoxay]

100% Correct. You can’t out move crappy eating patterns. Bottom line is America is full of fat people. They are everywhere.

A few weeks ago I was looking at some pictures from the 1970's and early 1980's on some photo group. Photos of beaches, streets, carnivals, etc. I couldn't literally spot a single morbidly obese person, and I couldn't spot many obese individuals (or, at least so obese you can see it). I just wonder what happened between now and then because now it's almost difficult to see people in decent shape.

 

[burgman]

There is no obvious way to know. However, almost all large companies are self-insured which means the company pays all the medical costs and just use the insurance company for their provider network and administrative functions like processing the claims. Smaller companies tend to be fully insured, which means the insurance company takes the risk and pays all the medical costs. All individual / family plans you buy through the exchange are fully insured.

No obvious way to know? If only large companies had an HR dept or employee 800 number to ask benefit questions...

 

[burgman]

A few weeks ago I was looking at some pictures from the 1970's and early 1980's on some photo group. Photos of beaches, streets, carnivals, etc. I couldn't literally spot a single morbidly obese person, and I couldn't spot many obese individuals (or, at least so obese you can see it). I just wonder what happened between now and then because now it's almost difficult to see people in decent shape.

TV, fast food, and armies of food chemists creating what looks like food but really is addictive crack.

 

[magicschoolbus]

awesome, they are already doing this same deal w/ Peloton if you have bike and tread, you get 4 months free or one year free on the app. Enjoying my 4 months free of peloton and I will be redeeming this as well!

 

[deeddawg]

A few weeks ago I was looking at some pictures from the 1970's and early 1980's on some photo group. Photos of beaches, streets, carnivals, etc. I couldn't literally spot a single morbidly obese person, and I couldn't spot many obese individuals (or, at least so obese you can see it). I just wonder what happened between now and then because now it's almost difficult to see people in decent shape.

I imagine any real analysis would find myriad interconnected causes - food company marketing, changing family structures/habits away from cooking meals at home, shifts in societal norms regarding size, etc.

No obvious way to know? If only large companies had an HR dept or employee 800 number to ask benefit questions...

I bet those covered by UnitedHealthcare probably also have a little card in their wallet with a phone number that'd connect them to someone at UH who could answer such questions too!

 

[burgman]

What a joke. Of course i will not be popular with this comment, but if you have a problem or just want to do better and can't do anything without subscribing to this nonsense then you have a bigger problem.

I doubt this is the reason you're not popular, have you never taken a class in your life? Do people that pay a subscription to a gym and take classes have bigger problems?