Supplementary health services: The next step for private health insurers

Private health insurers (PKVs) increasingly focus on supplementary healthcare services to offer their policyholders better care and reduce costs simultaneously. Digital solutions, preventive measures, and specialized offers help to optimize medical treatments and reduce healthcare costs in the long term. But how can these services be positioned so that they are used?

How do supplementary healthcare services work?

Health services are usually additional offers from private health insurers that aim to promote the insured’s health. The voluntary services can be flexibly integrated into existing insurance systems, ranging from telemedicine and prevention to therapy optimization. They enable better care and, simultaneously, help reduce costs in the long term. This is due to the preventative nature of these services. Examples of healthcare services include:

• Telemedicine & online consultations: Quick medical advice via video call
• Prevention programs: Measures to avoid serious illnesses
• Nutrition & fitness: Individual advice for a healthy lifestyle
• Specialist search & cancer screening: Early diagnosis and targeted treatment options
• Case management & therapy optimization: Individual care for better treatment quality
• Cost savings through partner networks: discounted medical aids

What advantages do these services offer?

Supplementary health services bring numerous benefits to both policyholders and private health insurers. In addition to the insured’s health, cost savings are essential. An imposing example: according to the Federal Statistical Office, medical costs due to cardiovascular diseases amounted to 46.4 billion euros in Germany in 2015, accounting for around 13.7% of total medical costs. These figures make it clear that treating cardiovascular diseases is associated with high costs. It is therefore worthwhile for private health insurers to invest in preventive health services to avoid such costly illnesses, promote the health of their policyholders, and reduce costs in the long term.
Private health insurance customers also have many advantages through health services. These include quick and uncomplicated access to medical advice and a higher quality of treatment through specialist referrals. Factors such as flexible and easily accessible healthcare services and shorter waiting times also play a role.

Visibility of health services

Although many of these health services have existed for a long time, policyholders are often unaware they can take advantage of them. Private health insurers often lack the right communication channels to draw attention to these services. This is precisely where intelligent app integration comes in: If services such as telemedicine, coaching, or digital health applications are embedded explicitly in users’ everyday lives – for example, through prominent placement in the dashboard, smart recommendations, or targeted push messages – usage increases measurably. And that is crucial: only if these services are actually used will they develop their economic added value. Private health insurers benefit from reduced treatment costs, more efficient care structures, and improved customer loyalty in the long term. Customer lifetime value increases, while the effort and costs for service hotlines or rehabilitation measures are reduced. Technical providers who not only build functions but also focus on the entire user journey are not just delivering a product to private health insurers but also a real competitive advantage.
Private health insurers that strategically position their healthcare services benefit twice over: policyholders receive better care, while the insurance company reduces costs in the long term.