Elevance Health Expands Access to Digital Tools, Helping Bridge the Healthcare Digital Divide
Elevance Health is advancing its commitment to improving healthcare access by addressing one of healthcare's most pressing challenges: the digital divide. Through innovative programs like Get Connected for Health and services offered by CareBridge, a subsidiary of Elevance Health, the company is helping ensure that individuals - especially those in underserved communities - have the tools, connectivity, and support needed to help them better manage their healthcare.
Access to digital health tools has become increasingly essential in today's healthcare environment. Yet millions of Americans still lack reliable internet access, appropriate devices, or the digital literacy required to fully engage in their healthcare. Elevance Health is working to close this gap by embedding digital access into the care experience, making healthcare more equitable, convenient, and personalized.
"Consumer experience is about meeting people where they are and simplifying their healthcare journey," said Saurabh Tandon, Chief Experience Officer at Elevance Health. "By expanding access to digital tools and services, we are helping remove barriers that can prevent individuals from getting the care they need."
Elevance Health's broader consumer experience strategy focuses on making healthcare easier to navigate - from finding care to understanding benefits - while reducing confusion and saving time for members and their families. This approach recognizes that improving access to digital tools is not just about technology, but about empowering people to take control of their health with confidence.
One key example of this commitment is Elevance Health's Get Connected for Health program, which directly tackles the root causes of the digital divide by expanding access to connectivity and digital resources.
Get Connected for Health provides eligible members with a high-quality smartphone preloaded with a curated suite of digital and virtual health tools, along with unlimited data, talk, and text service at no cost. These tools include telehealth services, health plan apps, and personalized health and wellness applications designed to meet individual needs.
The program reflects a growing recognition that connectivity itself is a critical driver of health. Research shows that a significant portion of lower-income individuals lack broadband access, and many rely solely on smartphones to connect to the internet. Without reliable digital access, individuals may face challenges scheduling appointments, communicating with providers, or accessing important health information.
By addressing these barriers, Get Connected for Health helps create more equitable access to care. The program also includes educational resources and technical support to improve digital literacy, ensuring participants can fully utilize the tools available to them.
Importantly, the initiative is built through collaboration with leading telecommunications providers, enabling scalable solutions that can reach hundreds of thousands of members across multiple states. Early results have shown increased adoption of digital health tools and improved engagement, underscoring the impact of combining connectivity with personalized healthcare resources.
In addition to Get Connected for Health, CareBridge, a value-based care company within Elevance Health, supports a wide range of individuals including those enrolled in Medicaid plans, individuals in Dual-Special Needs Plans (who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare), and people receiving home and community-based services. CareBridge provides patients with easy-to-use, cellular-enabled tablets that connect them directly to their care teams.
Through CareBridge, patients can access virtual care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using video, chat, or text in multiple languages. This always-on connectivity enables individuals to receive care in the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for unnecessary emergency visits and improving overall health outcomes.
The platform is specifically designed with accessibility in mind. Patients are equipped with simple, intuitive devices and supported in their preferred language - CareBridge clinicians collectively speak 19 languages and support more than 300 additional languages. By removing both technological and language barriers, CareBridge helps ensure that vulnerable populations can stay connected to care teams and manage their health more effectively.
In addition to virtual care access, CareBridge integrates care coordination, data insights, and real-time support, enabling a more holistic and responsive care experience. The result is a model that not only improves convenience but also enhances independence and quality of life for individuals receiving long-term services and support.
Together, CareBridge and Get Connected for Health illustrate how Elevance Health is embedding digital equity into its care model. By delivering both the technology and the support needed to use it, the company is helping individuals overcome barriers related to income, geography, and language.
These efforts align with Elevance Health's broader mission to transform healthcare into a more accessible, intuitive, and human-centered experience. By leveraging innovation and partnerships, the company continues to reimagine how care is delivered - ensuring that more people can access the services they need to lead healthier lives.
"As healthcare continues to evolve, digital access will play an increasingly central role in outcomes and experience," Tandon added. "Our goal is to make sure no one is left behind."
About Elevance Health
Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner whose purpose is to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire healthcare journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead better lives. Elevance Health's companies serve approximately 105 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, home health, and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on X and Elevance Health on LinkedIn.
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Hieu Nguyen
hieu.nguyen2@elevancehealth.com