Humana and well being tech firm DUOS have launched a brand new program to help veteran seniors with power situations in Louisiana, the businesses introduced Wednesday.

Human serves roughly 6 million lively responsibility navy and retirees nationwide. Primarily based in Minneapolis, Minnesota DUOS is a digital healthcare firm that connects Medicare beneficiaries to social determinants of healthcare and care navigation help by way of Medicare advantages, group sources and authorities applications.

The brand new program, which runs by way of the top of 2024, will join veterans with power situations (who’re members of Humana's Medicare Benefit plans in Louisiana) with DUOS. They start by finishing a well being evaluation that determines their health-related social wants. They’re then linked to the advantages and sources they’ve by way of their MA plan or veterans advantages.

DUOS has offered help to veterans prior to now by way of “numerous applications we’ve with Medicare Benefit well being plans,” Karl Ulfers, co-founder and CEO of DUOS, mentioned in an electronic mail. However he mentioned what's “distinctive” about this program with Humana is that it was constructed particularly for veterans.

“Not all veterans are the identical and based mostly on their distinctive experiences, their care and useful resource wants range from psychological to behavioral. Our answer helps people navigate that ecosystem and get the suitable care,” mentioned Ulfers.

USAA, a companion of Humana, skilled DUOS private assistants earlier than this system started to “guarantee a complete understanding of navy and veteran tradition,” in keeping with a information launch. The group gives insurance coverage, banking, funding and retirement companies to greater than 13 million navy personnel, veterans and their households.

Humana has labored with DUOS on earlier applications for different populations and “noticed optimistic leads to member activation and engagement, addressing wants and program satisfaction,” mentioned Emily McGrath, director of Well being Fairness Technique at Humana. For that reason, the insurer has chosen to collaborate with DUOS for its veterans program.

There’s a want among the many veteran members, McGrath added. The veteran beneficiaries typically face obstacles reminiscent of monetary pressure, loneliness, meals insecurity, transportation and housing insecurity. Nationwide knowledge exhibits that veterans are twice as doubtless to turn out to be chronically homeless than non-veterans, and 5 million veterans dwelling with a incapacity. As well as, one in 5 of households supported by Feeding America have a member of the family who served within the navy.

By way of the partnership with DUOS, Humana's purpose is to take away obstacles to care and enhance well being outcomes, McGrath mentioned.

“The layering of power ailments, veteran standing, Veterans Affairs advantages, Medicare advantages, social obstacles to well being and the 'sea of ​​good will' could make it much more difficult for veterans to know the place to start out,” she mentioned. “By way of this program, DUOS is tailoring companies to veterans with power situations to satisfy their distinctive getting older wants and take away obstacles to care.”

McGrath additionally mentioned Humana will consider this system on the finish of the 12 months to find out whether or not it ought to be expanded to different markets. Ulfers added that DUOS hopes to scale up this system nationally to veterans.

“With a major variety of seniors combating power situations, the demand for care and options to satisfy their wants is extra essential than ever. Our main purpose is to make sure that each veteran, no matter location, has entry to the personalised care and help they deserve,” he mentioned.

Photograph: mstahlphoto, Getty Photographs