UnitedHealthcare is providing members of its Motion program access to Apple Fitness+ workout classes, powered by Apple Watch, for at least six months and at no additional cost.
UnitedHealthcare Motion is a well-being program that enables people to earn over $1,000 per year by meeting certain daily activity goals, Rebecca Madsen, UnitedHealthcare’s chief consumer officer, said in an email. People in the program have access to several wearables, including Apple Watches, at no additional cost and as buy-up options.
Beginning Jan. 1, UnitedHealthcare Motion enrollees with Apple Watches will have access to Apple Fitness+, which provides a variety of studio-style workouts, including high-intensity interval training, yoga, dance and cycling.
“UnitedHealthcare and Apple share a joint mission to help people live healthier lives,” Madsen said via email. “By making Apple Fitness+ accessible to UnitedHealthcare Motion members with Apple Watch, we are helping achieve that goal. Plus, with interest in at-home fitness resources surging amid Covid-19, this collaboration is another way to support our members on their journeys toward health.”
Eligible members will gain free access to Apple Fitness+ workouts for six months, after which they will be able to buy a six-month subscription using program earnings, a credit card or a combination of both.
Providing access to Apple Fitness+ is a part of the insurer’s broader effort to offer people digital resources and financial incentives that can help them better manage their health, especially their chronic conditions, Madsen said.
“UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to creating seamless, integrated health programs and resources that empower people to take charge of their health, more easily navigate the health system and help make care more affordable for all Americans,” she added. “We are helping accomplish those goals with UnitedHealthcare Motion and the new collaboration with Apple.”
A recent study, which followed 44,370 men and women for 4 to 14.5 years, showed that people who spent more time being sedentary faced a higher risk of death as compared to people who spent more time being physically active.
UnitedHealthcare Motion enables members to earn financial incentives based on reaching daily fitness targets, which include completing 300 steps within five minutes, six times per day, at least an hour apart.
Since the launch of the program, UnitedHealthcare Motion participants have collectively walked more than 511 billion steps and earned $60 million in rewards, Madsen said.
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