HAP Rolls Out New Health Coverage Website
DETROIT (WWJ) -- Health Alliance Plan Tuesday announced a new Web site to help Michigan's uninsured residents who may be shopping for health care plans for the first time.
The site, www.chooseHAP.org, is dedicated to assisting individuals, employers and insurance agents as they navigate their new health plan choices during the health care reform open enrollment period, Oct. 1 to March 31.
On average, consumers spend less than nine minutes shopping and applying for health insurance. Whether shopping for insurance through their local health plan or the Health Insurance Marketplace, the new HAP website takes the confusion out of shopping for health plans. In just 10 days, chooseHAP.org has attracted more than 12,400 visitors, with more than 85 percent of those logging on for the first time.
"HAP understands how daunting it may be for someone who has never shopped for their own health insurance to now be responsible for selecting the best health coverage to meet their family's needs and budgets," said Lori Rund, vice president product development and market intelligence. "To make it easier, HAP created a simple, online shopping experience to help them make an informed decision without the overwhelming sense of confusion typically associated with understanding health care reform and health insurance."
Consumers seeking an intuitive, easy-to-navigate online retail-like shopping experience should visit chooseHAP.org. Depending on individual need, the site asks a series of questions designed to provide customized health plan recommendations. Interactive user tools including plan comparisons, downloadable brochures, individualized price quotes, subsidy eligibility calculators, and an out-of-pocket cost estimator, will simplify the shopping experience. Insurance agents will benefit from the site's robust online tools as they compare plans and obtain price quotes on prospective health plans for clients.
The website also offers an educational toolkit that explains the basics of the health care reform law, what's covered, how to find out if you are eligible for lower costs and more. Videos help decode health insurance and answer frequently asked questions. Using white board-style animations, the videos help consumers better understand complex health care terminology and plan options.
The website's customizable features were designed by Detroit-based Grit Design to be easily accessible from all Internet browsers, tablets and mobile devices. Future site features will include live chat and a mobile optimized version is set for release on Nov. 1.
The nonprofit HAP serves more than 670,000 members with health care coverage and wellness services. A subsidiary of the Henry Ford Health System, one of the nation's premiere health care systems, HAP provides comprehensive access to Michigan's leading physicians, hospitals and health systems and has partnered with employers and community organizations to enhance the health and well-being of the lives we touch for more than 50 years.
