UHC Introduces Employer-Sponsored, Virtual Care Physical Therapy

UnitedHealthcare is introducing access to virtual care physical therapy for members in employer-sponsored health plans who suffer from musculoskeletal issues, according to an emailed press release.

“UnitedHealthcare’s Virtual Physical Therapy program offers people the convenience of 24/7 access to PT coaching sessions at home or on the go, further enhancing our holistic approach to help address musculoskeletal issues by combining advanced technology with proactive engagement, personalized support, and consumer-centric benefit designs,” said Russell Amundson, MD, national senior medical director at UnitedHealthcare.

Employer-sponsored health plans that are self-funded plans can buy into the program. The program relies on an app powered by artificial intelligence (AI) called the Kaia Health app. The app is designed to support members after surgery. Because of the program's virtual care and AI-powered design, members can receive support on-demand.

The AI software can identify if a member is practicing a physical therapy activity incorrectly. The app offers tailored feedback regarding how members can improve and more closely align with the appropriate posture or motion for the exercise.

“To track progress and determine if further support is needed, the app uses motion monitoring to provide feedback in real-time, offering suggestions akin to what people might receive from a physical therapist at an in-person appointment,” the press release explained.

UnitedHealthcare indicated that the program could cut down on healthcare spending in employer-sponsored health plans by diminishing low-value care. For instance, musculoskeletal lower back pain can result in a number of low-value care services, including spinal injections, surgeries, and opioids. Researchers suggest that low-value care in lower back treatment is decreasing.

The AI algorithm continues to assess a member’s progress over time. The results are combined with self-reported data to identify and connect members who need more targeted support through health coaching.

The tool is not strictly AI-based. Members can receive personal counseling from health coaches. Program participants can access these coaches through a telehealth call or in the app.

“With millions of Americans experiencing orthopedic issues currently or at some point during their lifetimes, this AI-driven approach supplements our existing virtual physical therapy benefit with a new resource to help people recover from injury or surgery,” said Amundson.

The press release added that the virtual physical therapy program for individuals with musculoskeletal conditions is not the only way in which the payer has been providing coverage for physical therapy. UnitedHealthcare has tens of thousands of physical and occupational therapists in its network.

Nor is this program necessarily the only opportunity members would have to access virtual care for physical therapy. Depending on whether members still have unfulfilled physical therapy visits under their health plan and other factors, employer-sponsored health plan members might be able to schedule a virtual care visit with an in-network physical therapist instead of an in-person visit.

The pandemic was vital in expanding virtual care access to physical therapy. In pediatric physical therapy, some practitioners have found that doing virtual physical therapy instead of in-person physical therapy helps parents be more engaged and knowledgeable about their child’s care.

Musculoskeletal care may be a key area for innovation as the coronavirus pandemic becomes more manageable. It is one of several areas that Blue Cross Blue Shield’s C1 Innovation Lab is addressing, engaging members with musculoskeletal conditions to inform their efforts.