New York Health and Hospitals: MetroPlus Rewards Point Program Creates Incentive for 300,000 New Yorkers to Keep Their Primary Care Appointment and Get Health Screenings

NEW YORK, June 25 -- The New York Health and Hospitals issued the following news release:

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- Health plan members have earned 150 million rewards points annually for getting preventive screenings, managing their diabetes or asthma, getting dental checkups

- Rewards points can be redeemed for a variety of consumer products

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MetroPlus Health Plan, the City's Public Option component of Mayor de Blasio's Guaranteed Health Care for All initiative, today announced its Member Rewards Program has exceeded expectations in serving as an incentive for members to take a more active role in their own health care. The program uses health intelligence and gamification, and allows members to accumulate points for primary care visits, dental check-ups, preventive screenings and other healthy activities. More than 300,000 New Yorkers who have MetroPlus earned 150 million rewards points last year - valued at more than $15 million worth of products from the MetroPlus rewards catalog. More than 60 percent of eligible MetroPlus members participated in the program with 94 percent of members surveyed reporting that the program has helped them improve their health.

The five-star rated health plan is the health insurance plan of the NYC Health + Hospitals and growing its membership is part of the public health system's comprehensive, multi-year redesign to build a competitive, sustainable organization that will continue to offer high-quality and accessible health care to the people of New York City.

"We want New Yorkers to see their primary care physician as often as necessary to ensure they stay healthy. This rewards program is a great incentive to get them to do the right thing for their health," said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals.

"Getting our members connected with their primary care doctor is the first, crucial step to improved health and care," said Dr. Talya Schwartz, President and CEO of MetroPlus. "This is a loyalty program, but different from being loyal to a company or product, we encourage people to be loyal to their health and well-being. Offering members a reward to get their checkups every year just makes sense; the Rewards Program has seen an increase in members' earning and redeeming points for primary care engagement alone by nearly 15 percent over the past two years."

"When I go visit the doctor, I earn something," said MetroPlus member and participant in the Rewards Program since its inception, Naimatu Mohammed. "With the reward, it encourages me to go to my appointment."

Launched in January of 2017, MetroPlus Rewards Program also offers points for healthy activities such as the Step-Up Challenge, where members earn 250 points when they get more physically active by increasing their walking and receive a free pedometer when they register for the Challenge. Eligible MetroPlus members are automatically enrolled in MetroPlus Rewards and receive program information when they join the plan and throughout the year to let them know what next steps they can take to earn rewards.

Since the program's inception, members have earned points for primary care visits, dental check-ups, preventive screenings, and other condition management activities such as asthma medication management and perinatal care. For example, a primary care visit or dental check-up is worth 250 reward points, or $25 in catalog value. Based on member selection, reward catalog items range from toothbrushes and baby wipes to children's art sets, mixing bowls and Magic Bullet blenders. Members are able to shop for hundreds of items in the rewards catalog, with values ranging from $2-$140. The average cost of a catalog item is $22. Members save their points for higher value rewards. Rewards are delivered to the member's home.

The rewards program, which is administered by Finity, a population health technology company, uses a combined high-tech and high-touch approach through a responsive member rewards portal with email, print, and inbound and outbound calls capabilities. The system identifies and uses the communication method that is proven to maximize health engagement by individual members.

MetroPlus Health Plan offers eligible New Yorkers a wide selection of health insurance options, with affordable fees and copays based on income and family size. Primary, specialty, and other health care services are offered through MetroPlus programs at low or no cost. The most popular plans include:

* Medicaid - low or no cost plan for low income children and adults up to 64 years old

* Medicare - low or no cost plan for adults 65 years old and above

* Child Health Plus - low or no cost plan for children under 19 regardless of immigration status

* Essential Plan - for adults 19-64 years old not eligible for Medicaid, offering monthly premiums of $0 - $20 based on income

* Qualified Health Plan - for eligible New York City residents, offering cost share reductions that lower significantly out of pocket costs

* Partnership in Care (HIV Special Needs Plan) - for children and adults who are New York City, Medicaid-eligible residents living with HIV/AIDS, are homeless or transgender

* MetroPlus Gold - for New York City employees and their families, with no premiums, no copays, no deductibles

MetroPlus also offers special membership benefits that include:

* Gym Reimbursement - members of select plans and their spouses can save up to $1,000 in gym fees every year

* 360 degree Support - members can access a wide variety of services through MetroPlus addressing medical, safety, and socio-economic needs.

MetroPlus earned an overall rating of five stars, the highest possible score, in the New York State Department of Health's recently released "2018 Consumer's Guide to Medicaid and Child Health Plus Managed Care Plans in New York City." The State's guide is an annual rating of managed care plans on quality of care delivered and members' satisfaction with the care and services they receive. MetroPlus is one of only two plans serving New York City to achieve the highest state rating this year.