Guardian and Uber Health partner to improve care access for disability members

USA – Guardian Life Insurance Company of America has partnered with Uber Health to provide enhanced support for its members with approved long-term disability claims.

Starting mid-January, eligible Guardian Group Benefits members will receive Uber vouchers for transportation to medical appointments or rehabilitation services, aiming to remove barriers to care and promote recovery and well-being.

The Uber vouchers, accessible through the Uber app, will initially be available to members with new long-term disability claims.

Over time, Guardian and Uber Health plan to expand the initiative to include short-term disability claimants and caregivers, addressing broader accessibility needs.

Michael Prestileo, Chief Commercial Officer of Guardian, emphasized the importance of reducing stress for members recovering from illness or injury.

“When our members are dealing with an injury or illness that prevents them from working, their focus should be on getting well,” Prestileo stated. “Guardian’s aim is to help remove barriers to recovery.

Recognizing the strong connection between mental wellness and physical health, our collaboration with Uber Health will help reduce stress and anxiety around transportation and accessing care, allowing members to focus on what matters most—their well-being.”

Zachary Clark, Global Head of Uber Health, highlighted the vital role of transportation in ensuring access to high-quality care for individuals with long-term disabilities.

“Millions of people with long-term disabilities require access to chronic care to speed up recovery and return to their normal routines,” Clark said.

“By working with Uber Health and providing members with an Uber voucher for transportation to essential care appointments, Guardian can maximize its benefit offerings to reduce barriers to care, improve health outcomes, and help people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.”

Broader trends in healthcare accessibility

Clark recently shared insights on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare during MobiHealthNews‘ 2024 year-in-review series.

He noted that AI has the potential to simplify healthcare access by streamlining processes such as appointment scheduling and creating personalized treatment plans, ultimately making healthcare more intuitive and efficient.

This partnership is the latest in a series of innovative healthcare solutions from Uber Health.

Last year, Uber Health collaborated with NationsBenefits to enable members to use flex cards for rides and same-day grocery deliveries via Uber Eats.

The flex card, a single debit card for eligible healthcare-related expenses, allows users to check their balance within the Uber app and seamlessly combine personal and covered expenses in one transaction.

Additionally, Uber Health launched Uber Caregiver, a feature enabling caregivers to manage rides and deliveries for care recipients, track services in real-time, and use health benefits for payments.

Caregivers can also view benefit balances, such as grocery allowances or remaining covered rides, to better manage the care recipients’ needs.