Sun Life U.S. expands Health Navigator offering to a broader range of employers, helping more workers access health care services

Rhea-AI Summary

Sun Life U.S. has expanded its Health Navigator service to medium and small group employers, aiming to help more workers access healthcare services. Health Navigator, powered by PinnacleCare, offers personalized guidance through dedicated Care Advisors, helping members get the right medical diagnoses, providers, and treatments.

Key benefits for employees include:

• Access to expert medical opinions
• Expedited appointments with qualified specialists
• 94% overall member satisfaction
• Access to Health 360, a digital app with various health and well-being tools

For employers, Health Navigator can potentially influence health outcomes and reduce costs, with data showing an average annual savings of $13,000 in healthcare costs per treatment outcome. The service is available to covered employees and their dependents, with additional options like Bill Resolve and Extended Care.

WELLESLEY, Mass., July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Navigator, powered by PinnacleCare, Sun Life's care navigation and health advisory service, is now available to employer clients in the medium and small group market. Expansion of Health Navigator is part of Sun Life's ongoing efforts to help people access the care and coverage they need. Through dedicated Care Advisors, Health Navigator members receive personalized guidance that helps them get the right medical diagnoses, providers, and treatments for their specific needs.

"The U.S. healthcare system is complex and its workforce shortage has made it even more challenging for people to find the right care at the right time," said David Healy, president, Group Benefits, Sun Life U.S. "Bringing Health Navigator to more of our clients is a great step forward in providing impactful benefits that drive more effective care and result in better health outcomes for our members."

Benefits for employees

Health Navigator personal Care Advisors provide dedicated support to the employee (or their dependent), leveraging extensive relationships with networks of physicians, specialists, and centers of excellence around the country, to help them get the best care for their specific medical condition or preventive care needs. Behind the scenes, teams of clinicians and other health professionals review medical information and reports to ensure people are getting the right level of care.

In 2023, Sun Life Health Navigator data showed:

• 54% of expert medical opinions recommended a more appropriate treatment plan or variation to the original diagnosis.
• One-third of appointments for members diagnosed with cancer were expedited and scheduled with more qualified specialists than the member's current providers.
• 94% overall member satisfaction.

Through Health Navigator, employees also have access to Health 360, Sun Life's digital app that connects directly to Care Advisors, interactive tools to support mental health, healthy habit tracking, fitness challenges, and a robust library of health and well-being content.

Benefits for employers

By helping people access the right providers and care, Health Navigator has the potential to influence health outcomes and drive down employer costs. Members get a diagnosis before a condition gets more serious or help to get the most appropriate treatment. Sun Life Health Navigator data from 2023 also showed an average annual savings of $13,000 in health care costs for employers, per treatment outcome. Outcomes included avoiding unnecessary treatments, a change in treatments, or less invasive testing or surgery.

Health Navigator is available to covered employees and their dependents. Additional options in Health Navigator include Bill Resolve, which assists employees with understanding and resolving medical bills, and Extended Care, which offers Health Navigator services to employees' parents, parents-in-law, and non-dependent children. Click here for more information about Sun Life Health Navigator.

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.47 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping more than 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,500 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald
Sun Life U.S.
Devon.Portney.Fernald@sunlife.com
781-800-3609

Anjie Coplin
Sun Life U.S.
Anjie.Coplin@sunlife.com
214-549-1553

Connect with Sun Life U.S.

https://www.facebook.com/SLFUnitedStates   
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financial  

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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.

FAQ

What is Sun Life's Health Navigator and how has it expanded?

Sun Life's Health Navigator is a care navigation and health advisory service. It has expanded to now be available to employer clients in the medium and small group market, aiming to help more workers access healthcare services.

What benefits does Health Navigator (SLF) offer to employees?

Health Navigator offers personalized guidance through Care Advisors, access to expert medical opinions, expedited appointments with specialists, and a digital app called Health 360 for various health and well-being tools.

How does Health Navigator benefit employers offering Sun Life (SLF) insurance?

Health Navigator can potentially improve health outcomes and reduce costs for employers. Sun Life data from 2023 showed an average annual savings of $13,000 in healthcare costs per treatment outcome for employers.

What was the member satisfaction rate for Sun Life's Health Navigator in 2023?

According to Sun Life's Health Navigator data from 2023, the overall member satisfaction rate was 94%.

What additional options does Sun Life (SLF) offer with Health Navigator?

Sun Life offers additional options with Health Navigator including Bill Resolve, which helps employees understand and resolve medical bills, and Extended Care, which offers Health Navigator services to employees' parents, parents-in-law, and non-dependent children.