Digital behavioral health resources became such an essential healthcare UX offering in 2021 that we included them in our UX awards for healthcare this year. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, insurers invested in behavioral health resources to help members attend to their mental well-being. Top insurers provided a variety of promoted resources, waived costs and introduced new digital programs. Members could continue or start treatment virtually, as well as access digital resources such as telehealth services, online support groups, mindfulness apps and self-guided learning libraries. Insurers prioritized access to digital mental health resources—it was one of the top healthcare UX trends of 2021.
In recognition of the importance of these digital behavioral health resources, CI awarded medals to the best digital resources from firms in our healthcare coverage group as part of our annual Monitor Awards. This year, we analyzed five categories for our UX awards for healthcare: desktop dashboard, mobile dashboard, account and user authentication, behavioral health resources, and claim payments. We award gold, silver and bronze medals to recognize the best-in-class experiences in each category. This year, seven insurers earned medals, with Anthem BCBS receiving medals in four separate categories.
Below is a quick summary of the three medal winners from the Behavioral Health Resources category, one of 2021’s top healthcare UX trends. For complete details on the categories and medal winners, check out our full report.
UnitedHealthcare earns a Gold medal for offering the most robust set of digital resources and tools in this category. UnitedHealthcare’s resources including coverage and benefits details, care delivery services and claims-related functionalities. Notably, we were impressed with their dedicated behavioral health locator, which allows members to easily find providers, services and costs, in addition to scheduling a virtual visit. Members can also access guides, courses, webinars, articles, risk assessments, videos and crisis support resources via an Optum-powered Live and Work Well platform. UnitedHealthcare provides the best-in-class digital experience for patients looking for help with mental health and substance use disorders.
Harvard Pilgrim took the Silver medal for providing an easily findable, centralized Behavioral Healthcare section. The firm’s behavioral health resources include mindfulness and stress management courses, external support services, offline case management programs, third-party discounts and savings programs, and a Limeade-powered goal setting and digital tracking platform with several emotional health-focused programs. Harvard Pilgrim’s provider locator tool also features a quick link to search by behavioral health, enabling users to find providers to help with their particular needs.
Anthem BCBS took the Bronze, also providing various digital mental and behavioral health resources. The firm offers coverage and benefits details, telehealth services via Amwell, a behavioral health cost estimator tool, and third-party platforms with educational content and resources. Notably, a Community Resources tool helps members find local mental health support programs.
Corporate Insight continues to closely monitor the digital user experience across leading health plans. As insurers respond to constant changes in the healthcare industry, we see that the best user experience (UX) comes from firms that quickly track trends and adopt best practices. Read more about creating the best healthcare UX here and look to our blog for further insights on the nation’s leading healthcare firms. And see here for more on our Monitor Awards.