As in-person appointments have been replaced with video conferences and other virtual mediums, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has launched Right2You, a virtual care benefit that aims to assist the approximate 48 million people in the U.S. living with hearing loss. The initiative builds on the home-delivered hearing healthcare model developed by UnitedHealthcare Hearing, where employees will be provided hearing aids by phone or online.
The healthcare company’s newest innovation is available to people across the country and individuals enrolled in eligible UHC employer-sponsored and Medicare Advantage plans — helping expand access to custom-programmed hearing aids and potentially reducing the need for in-person appointments for fittings and adjustments. 80% of hearing loss can be treated with the use of a hearing aid, however, only 25% of individuals with loss of hearing actually use hearing aids. Depending on the plan, those eligible can purchase the custom-programmed hearing aids with no out-of-pocket costs and copays are less than $200 per device.
“A large number of Americans have hearing loss and very few really take the steps to seek treatment. For people in the workforce with hearing loss, the condition reduced household income by about an average of $12,000 per year, and the use of hearing aids can mitigate up to about 50% of that. By treating hearing loss, [employers are] really helping that individual’s overall performance.”
— Diane Nens, Audiologist & Senior Clinical Director at UnitedHealthcare Hearing
To participate, individuals first take an online hearing test (also known as an audiogram) to determine current hearing status. If potential hearing loss is detected, people can then obtain test results through an in-person appointment with a UHC Hearing audiologist, hearing care professional, or another credentialed hearing healthcare provider. Custom-programmed hearing aids are then shipped directly to the person’s home.
For more information about Right2You and online hearing tests, visit www.uhchearing.com.
Information provided by Employee Benefit News.