Becoming a caregiver can be a sometimes unexpected – and costly – challenge. But a new tool from Uber, called Uber Caregiver, is designed to make getting rides and medications for your loved ones a little easier.
Launching this summer, the new feature will allow caregivers to help coordinate beneficiaries’ care with travel, medications and more.
The program was developed by Uber Health chief engineer Jeremy Hintz and his team with his grandparents in mind. After Hintz’s grandfather suffered a stroke, he could no longer care for his wife, who was suffering from dementia. So Hintz’s mother stepped in to become their primary caregiver.
“This whole thing actually came out of a phone conversation I was having with my mom about the things she needed help with on a daily basis,” Hintz told Investigative Senior Correspondent Vicky Nguyen. consumers, in the exclusive first look at the product in TODAY. “We have Uber and Uber Eats; why can’t we also enjoy health care benefits? »
Hintz’s mother and grandparents were among the first to test an early version of Uber Caregiver, which helped shape the final product rolled out this summer.
What is Uber Caregiver?
Uber Caregiver is a new feature in the Uber and Uber Eats apps launching this summer that will allow caregivers to use health insurance benefits to arrange and pay for eligible rides to their care recipient’s doctor appointments and follow the route.
In the future, the tool will also allow caregivers to manage the delivery of groceries and over-the-counter items, including medications and medical equipment, according to the company.
The caregiver and beneficiary can track the progress of travel and purchases. A three-way chat feature in the app allows the caregiver, driver, and driver to stay in communication. And the caregiver receives a notification when the passenger has arrived at the destination safely.
The company plans to cover:
- Customers aged 65 and over with Medicare Advantage,
- Medicaid recipients and
- People with eligible commercial insurance through their employer
How to Get an Uber Caregiver
Starting Wednesday, May 15, 2024, caregivers and care recipients can sign up to be notified when their insurer is added as an Uber Caregiver partner.
To set up Uber Caregiver, the care recipient adds their health benefit card to their wallet in the Uber and Uber Eats apps. Health insurance cards are pre-funded debit cards issued by health insurance plans that can be used to cover eligible healthcare expenses, such as co-pays, prescriptions, medical devices, transportation, etc. . Coverage varies by plan.
Once the card has been added, the person receiving care can designate a caregiver from their existing contacts or by adding their contact details.
Michael Prestileo, chief commercial officer of Guardian, one of the insurance companies in discussions with Uber to be involved in the new feature, said in a statement: “We look forward to seeing how we can work with Uber Health to use Uber Caregiver. as a way to facilitate access to care for our members and disability claimants, whilst supporting those who are already doing so much to support others. It is important that Guardian plays a role in providing these solutions to a broader set of consumers.
When will Uber Caregiver launch?
Uber Caregiver will launch in summer 2024 with the ability for caregivers to order and track the movements of care recipients. The grocery ordering feature will be available by the end of 2024, according to the company.
