"By continuing to innovate and further embed technology into our processes and the services we provide, we are able to improve the member journey, speed up access and significantly enhance the customer experience, all of which are key motivators for purchasing health insurance."
- Dr Keith Klintworth, Managing Director at VitalityHealth
Earlier this year, Vitality detailed changes made to both its Serious Illness and Income Protection products as well as alterations to its wider proposition for policies starting on or after 28th February.
Today, the insurer has announced enhancements to its personal health insurance policies, prioritising prevention and early detection. Vitality’s approach has been designed to “enhance the wellbeing of customers by offering comprehensive coverage tailored to their everyday healthcare needs.”
In 2021, Vitality launched the Care Hub and Consultant Finder which made it the first major insurer to enable customers to request care online, receive immediate authorisation, and book directly with a consultant.
These services will now include immediate pre-authorised referrals for onward treatment with customers receiving confirmation of their claims’ authorisation within minutes as well as a link to book onward treatment through the Care Hub. Customers will also be able to manage their new and existing claims online, adding any requests for follow-up tests or treatment to their claims via the Care Hub.
Vitality believes that “helping customers understand their individual risk and providing appropriate cancer screening is key to delivering better health outcomes.” As such, it has enhanced its preventative and everyday care benefits; customers will now be able to carry out online cancer risk assessments for five of the most common cancer diagnoses. These assessments are accessible through the Care Hub and will provide customers with a personalised view of their risk for each cancer and assist them in taking the next steps - including discounted screenings through Check4Cancer, where appropriate.
According to the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses, skin cancer is a growing concern in the UK, with over 400k cases estimated by 2025. Since 2015, customers with Vitality have had access to Skin Analytics – a leading digital pathway for skin cancer diagnosis – after a referral from a Vitality GP. Customers will now have access to Skin Analytics as a self-referral option, through the Care Hub.
Vitality has said this will “complement the new cancer risk assessment and screenings to further support customers who are concerned about their risk of cancer, driving earlier diagnosis, and improved outcomes.”
Customers currently have access to up to six sessions of physiotherapy each year as a core benefit, with additional support available via Out-Patient Cover. Vitality is now introducing a new virtual benefit through Ascentri Reach so customers are able to self-refer to Ascentri’s app and receive bespoke treatments, physiotherapy appointments, and exercise programmes at no additional cost. Using this virtual service won’t count as a claim, so clients can continually access ongoing support. This virtual benefit will sit alongside a new claims toolkit, designed to streamline the claims process for both advisers and customers.
Vitality is working to transform the underwriting experience for Personal Healthcare (PHC) applications – making it easier for customers to navigate medical underwriting. “Full medical underwriting provides greater peace of mind and clarity over what conditions are covered and will enhance your clients’ claims experience by reducing the need for eligibility checks at the point of claim,” the insurer explained. As such, from the 20th October 2023, advisers will have access to the Condition Checker Tool to obtain an immediate indication of whether conditions will be excluded, accepted with no exclusions, or referred to the underwriting team.
This Condition Checker Tool will sit alongside the new Personal Healthcare Personalised Brochure which will launch next month. This will empower advisers to select Vitality benefits that are specific to the customers’ needs as well as demonstrate potential savings that could be made through the Vitality Programme.
Commenting on these enhancements, Dr Keith Klintworth, Managing Director at VitalityHealth, has said:
"We know people are using our products and services differently, with consumers wanting to be more in control of their care and have access to on-demand services.
"By continuing to innovate and further embed technology into our processes and the services we provide, we are able to improve the member journey, speed up access and significantly enhance the customer experience, all of which are key motivators for purchasing health insurance."
