Health Alliance Medical Plans Wins Human Animal Bond Innovation Award

Health Alliance Medical Plans Honored by Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) Through New Awards Program

Champaign, Ill. (August 25, 2022) – Health Alliance Medical Plans is pleased to accept the Human Animal Bond Innovation Award in the Product & Service category from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI). This award recognizes companies and organizations with innovative products and programs designed to advance the human-animal bond and create a more pet-friendly society.

As of January 2022, Health Alliance Medical Plans became the first human insurance company to provide fully-paid access to 24-hour veterinary telehealth by whiskerDocs for 30,000 Medicare Advantage plan members at no additional cost.

“Health Alliance Medical Plans shows what is possible in human medicine when people acknowledge the human-animal bond, they are setting an innovative example for those that want to create a more pet-friendly world,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI.

“Health Alliance Medical Plans is thrilled to accept the Human Animal Bond Innovation Award,” said Andrew Weintraub, Vice President, Sales & Retention, Health Alliance Medical Plans. “Our efforts with whiskerDocs to improve the human-animal bond for our Medicare members is so important to us, and we know just how much pets have benefited our members, especially during the pandemic when so many of us were feeling the pain of social isolation.”

Medicare Advantage members can connect via phone, chat or email with veterinary technicians 24/7 when they have health questions about their pets.  About 60% of issues are taken care of during the call without a visit to the veterinarian.  To learn more about the benefits offered by Health Alliance Medical Plans, visit https://healthalliance.org/medicare.

The Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards is a new awards program to recognize companies and organizations that are implementing innovative products and practices designed to advance the human-animal bond and create a more pet-friendly society. Nominations were open to the public in three different award categories; Products & Services, Workplace Culture and Public Service. Award winners were be selected at the discretion of an expert committee of pet care leaders.

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 About Health Alliance Medical Plans

Based in Champaign, IL, Health Alliance operates in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and Washington with additional licenses in Nebraska and Missouri. Health Alliance is part of Carle Health, an integrated system of healthcare services, which includes a five-hospital system, multi-specialty physician groups, as well as Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute.

In Illinois, Health Alliance offers employer group plans, individual plans, Medicare plans, State of Illinois Employee plans, and State of Illinois Retiree plans through Total Retiree Advantage Illinois. In Iowa, Health Alliance offers employer group plans and Medicare plans. And in Washington, we offer Medicare plans and public individual plans. In Indiana and Ohio, Health Alliance offers Medicare plans.

About HABRI

HABRI is a not-for-profit organization that maintains the world’s largest online library of human-animal bond research and information; funds innovative research projects to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals; and informs the public about human-animal bond research and the beneficial role of companion animals in society. For more information, please visit http://www.habri.org.