Uber and Optum simplify access to supplemental benefits

Uber and Optum are making it easier for consumers of participating health plans to cover the purchase of eligible expenses within the Uber app.

Many people have access to supplemental health benefits that they may not use. Now, health plan benefit cards, including health spending account (HSA) and flexible spending (FSA) cards, can be added as a form of payment within the Uber app. This payment option can then be used to cover eligible expenses, including health related rides (like non- emergency doctor visits), over-the-counter items and healthy food.

The new and simple way to pay for items within the app, pairs the breadth and flexibility of Optum’s leading health payment platform with Uber’s national transportation and merchant network of grocery and retail stores, and will be offered as part of select Medicare Advantage plan benefits for 2024. It is expected to expand over time to also include people with Medicaid and commercial health benefits.

To see how this will work in action, let’s consider “Barbara’s” situation.

Barbara is a Medicare Advantage member without a car and limited access to other transportation options. She has a health benefit card, issued on Optum’s payments platform, which she can use to pay for eligible over-the-counter items, groceries, and rides.

Here’s how it works:

This streamlined process makes it easier for people like Barbara to quickly see what their plan covers, pay directly with their healthcare benefits cards, and help them lead healthy lives.