1.2.19 – Accolade

Accolade – Your New Health Benefits Gateway

Beginning Jan. 2, 2019, active team members and covered family members enrolled in the Core, Standard, Value, PPO 80/90/100 or OUT-OF-AREA medical options will have a dedicated, personal health assistant who will be your point of contact for your health care and health benefit needs.

Members enrolled in HMOs are not eligible for Accolade’s services and will continue contacting their HMO for benefit needs and questions.

Accolade is an independent, healthcare concierge company partnering with the Plan to provide eligible employees and their Eligible Dependent(s) enrolled in the CORE, STANDARD, VALUE, and OUT-OF-AREA Medical Benefit Options with the support needed to make good healthcare choices, navigate a complex healthcare system, and get the most from their Plan benefits.

Here is What You Can Expect With Accolade

Accolade’s phone number is what you will find on the back of your medical ID card if you are enrolled in the CORE, STANDARD, VALUE, PPO 80/90/100 or OUT-OF-AREA Medical Benefit Options. Accolade does not replace BlueCross BlueShield or UMR as your Network/Claim Administrator; rather, if you need customer service support related to your medical benefits, you will call Accolade.

Accolade Health Assistant

Accolade offers the Accolade Health Assistant Program. This program will provide a new level of personalized support.

Your own health assistant: Accolade delivers a confidential, personalized health care experience through its Accolade health assistant program. You and your Eligible Dependent(s) enrolled in CORE, STANDARD, VALUE, PPO 80/90/100, or OUT-OF-AREA Medical Benefit Options will have your own dedicated Accolade health assistant who will be your single point-of-contact for all of your questions about benefits under the Plan. Your Accolade health assistant is also an expert in helping you navigate the health care system generally and helping with your specific health decisions. So, your Accolade health assistant can help with your health care questions, big or small, including helping you find an In-Network Provider or help answer questions like:

Will this procedure be covered?

Why was I billed for this test?

I just got diagnosed with diabetes, what should I do next?

Where is the closest In-Network pharmacy?

What does my prescription drug benefit cover?

How do I file a claim for benefits?

What questions should I ask my doctor?

What other American Airlines benefit programs might be helpful in my situation?

This program is provided at no additional cost.

Experts: Supporting Accolade’s Health Assistants is an even bigger team of professionals, including behavioral health clinicians, registered nurses, provider search specialists, claims specialists, pharmacists and a medical director. All this expertise readily available to your health assistant means you’ll get the answers you need quickly and easily. Accolade does not practice medicine or provide patient care. So, if you have a medical emergency, you should still contact 911 immediately.

Outreach: Your Accolade dedicated health assistant may reach out to you. For example, your Accolade Health Assistant may reach out to offer help before and after a hospital stay or ask how they can help with your health care needs. It may be an occasional check-in or something more regular depending on your health needs and what you’re comfortable with. All communications are handled in strict confidence. In addition, if you were previously engaged with BCBS or UHC to help you manage your health, your new Accolade Health Assistant will support you. If you would prefer Accolade not contact you, simply let them know.

It’s confidential: Accolade is an independent third party. Your Accolade Health Assistant doesn’t work for BlueCross BlueShield or UMR, and they’re separate from American. They are bound by state and federal privacy laws to safeguard your information and use it only for the purposes for which it was disclosed.

Contacting Accolade 

Accolade is here to help you find your way. So, if you are ever unsure who to contact or where to go with a Plan or health related question, Accolade should be your first call.

Accolade Health Assistants can be reached Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. CST at 1(833) 346 3929 (FIND-WAY). You can also visit your Accolade member portal via my.aa.com or download the Accolade mobile app to contact Accolade via secure message at any time, and they’ll return your message during their normal business hours.

If your need is urgent and outside of Accolade’s normal business hours, you can still connect with the team via the 24/7 nurse line using the same number 1(833) 346 3929 (FIND-WAY). Nurses are on call to help you with any urgent care questions during those unexpected hours. Of course, you should always call 911 in an emergency.

To download the Accolade app, please visit:

https://www.accolade.com/mem/get-mobile/?utm_source=cx-property&utm_medium=general&utm_campaign=awareness_americanairlines_content-integration_cx-property_general&utm_content=internalcomms&_branch_match_id=469648757244483015

For more information about Accolade, please visit: https://newjetnet.aa.com/docs/DOC-33410hael 

-Michael Tipton
APFA National Health Chair