Healthfirst Offers New Shopping and Enrollment Experience for 2020

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthfirst, New York's largest not-for-profit health insurer^* serving nearly 1.6 million members, is offering new ways for people to connect with Healthfirst during the 2020 Annual and Open Enrollment Periods, with options—including online, via video, by SMS text, or by phone—that are convenient and can be accessed from the safety and comfort of home.

"For the 2020 Annual and Open Enrollment Periods, Healthfirst has created a seamless experience that  represents the future of how we connect New Yorkers to access quality, affordable healthcare that keeps our employees and communities safe," said GT Sweeney, Chief Information Officer. "People's online habits have changed greatly in recent years, and that is even more evident during the pandemic. With our new tools, Healthfirst is prepared to address new and changing preferences for how and where members and prospects engage with us, and offer a personalized experience that meets our customers where they are, when they need us."

New tools and technologies for people to learn, shop, and enroll in the plan that is right for them include:

• The Healthfirst Virtual Community Office: This newly updated online experience allows consumers to schedule an appointment to meet—in person, by phone, or by video call—with a Healthfirst representative who is familiar with their neighborhood and speaks their preferred language. There are also options to learn more about Healthfirst plans via a virtual live or on-demand sales seminar.
• Healthfirst.org: The company's updated website provides shoppers with tools to learn about and easily compare Healthfirst plans. An entirely virtual shopping and enrollment experience has also been launched for Medicare shoppers.

Healthfirst is very proud to be one of the first plans in New York to be named an approved vendor by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for integration with their CMS Blue Button Application Programming Interface (API). This capability empowers Healthfirst Medicare customers to control who has access to their medical information and make it securely available to the medical providers of their choice with identity and authorization protocols controlled by MyMedicare.gov. The providers in turn can leverage historical data of their patients to deliver effective, personalized care management solutions. The Healthfirst product interfaces with Blue Button 2.0 API, which uses the HL7® FHIR® (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standard for exchange of electronic health records (EHR).

Healthfirst Offers More Digital Options to Members Because the Way People Access Care Has Changed

In addition to enhancing shopping and enrollment this year, Healthfirst also offers its members new self-service tools like a mobile app that includes a directory to locate local resources to find food, housing and financial assistance, and a direct connection to telemedicine. Thousands of members have already taken advantage of the five-star-ratedⁱ Healthfirst NY Mobile App, which is available in English for the iOS platform via the Apple App Store and for Android on Google Play. 

About Healthfirst

Healthfirst is New York's largest not-for-profit health insurer, earning the trust of 1.6 million members by offering access to affordable healthcare. Sponsored by downstate New York's leading hospitals, Healthfirst's unique advantage is rooted in its mission to put members first by working closely with its broad network of providers on shared goals. Healthfirst takes pride in being pioneers of the value-based care model, now recognized as a national best practice. For nearly 30 years, Healthfirst has built its reputation in the community for top-quality products and services New Yorkers can depend on. It has grown significantly to serve the needs of members, offering market-leading products to fit every life stage, including Medicaid plans, Medicare Advantage plans, Long-Term Care plans, Qualified Health plans, and individual and small group plans. Healthfirst serves members in New York City and on Long Island, as well as in Westchester, Sullivan, and Orange counties. For more information on Healthfirst, please visit healthfirst.org. 

^*Based on reported revenue for calendar year 2019.
ⁱBased on user reviews in the App Store.

Contact:
Elise Titan
etitan@healthfirst.org
917-753-0973

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SOURCE Healthfirst