Humana Creates New Health Benefit

Recently, Humana Military Healthcare Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. (HUM - Analyst Report), announced the availability of an additional benefit for the beneficiaries of the TRICARE program (a medical program under the Department of Defense) in the South Region. 

Humana Military Healthcare Services offers health insurance coverage under the TRICARE program to the dependents of active duty military personnel and retired military personnel coupled with their dependents. Humana Military has been a contractor of the Department of Defense for the administration of the TRICARE program since Jul 1, 1996. 

The new benefit provides the families of soldiers enrolled in the TRICARE program access to a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Management Program. They will be able to call a dedicated registered nurse and receive education and coaching on how to deal with this lung disease which blocks airflow thereby resulting in breathing difficulties. 

Humana started offering this new program from Oct 1, 2009. Beneficiaries of the new program will undergo coaching sessions on cessation of smoking, avoidance of secondhand smoke, self management, exercise, proper use of oxygen, adherence to proper medication and understanding the purpose behind it. 

Furthermore, they will also have access to information regarding the symptoms of infection, when to call their physician or seek emergency treatment, and resources for stress management. Humana’s subsidiary also provides disease-management services for heart failure, asthma and diabetes. 

Humana, which provides health and supplemental benefit plans for employer groups, government benefit programs and individuals in the US, competes with players such as Aetna Inc. (AET - Analyst Report), Cigna Corp. (CI - Snapshot Report) and Unitedhealth Group, Inc. (UNH - Snapshot Report). Currently, we are Neutral on Humana.