Humana, the big insurance company, is using lessons of behavioral economics to improve the wellness of its covered population in the hope of reducing claims and raising its profit margin.

As FierceHealthcare noted, citing an article in Insider Louisville: “Equipped with the knowledge that, in general, people make bad decisions even when they know those decisions are harmful, Humana is testing out new ways to change patient behavior when it comes to health habits…..”

For example, “Recently the company discovered that customers responded better to calls from their pharmacist and celebrities like The Brady Bunch actress Florence Henderson reminding them to take medication as prescribed. In another experiment, Humana discovered that synchronizing prescription refills led to improved adherence for patients taking multiple medications.

“Previously, insurers have used financial incentives as a primary motivator for improving wellness, but studies show that approach doesn’t always work. By using behavioral economics, Humana accounts for other psychological and emotional factors that could be more effective in steering patients in the right direction.”

To read a FierceHealthcare piece on  this, please hit this link.

To read the Insider Louisville story on this, please hit this link.