Exploring Social Media for Health and Wellness: A Health Plan Case Study

Organizational Background

This case study is associated with a large health plan in western Pennsylvania. For confidentiality reasons, we cannot disclose the name of the health plan and will refer to it just as “health plan” in the rest of paper. Due to same reasons, we cannot include any details pertaining to the management, economic climate and financial structure of the organization.

The health plan offers five basic medical plan designs, which are distinguished mainly by varying levels of provider-coordinated vs. self-directed care and the use of network vs. out-of-network providers. Besides consumer-specific plans, the health plan also offers a full range of commercial and government health management products and services, including commercial group health insurance, Medicare Assistance, Special Needs (SNP), Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP) and customized benefit options for smaller employer groups. It also offers disease and behavioral health management programs, including programs to help employers promote health, prevention, and wellness in the workplace.