It's often been said that almost everyone has a smartphone. Unfortunately, not everyone has the financial resources to use it.
Assurance Wireless, a federal lifeline assistance program for wireless phone service, is joining forces with Gold Mobile to offer free two-way messaging services between Medicaid and low-income patients and their healthcare providers, insurance carriers and HMOs.
The HIPAA-compliant service, called GoMo Chat Secure, delivers encrypted, text-based messages that are viewable through a basic phone equipped with a web brower and supplied by Assurance Wireless. Since the service is integrated in a Free-to-End-User (FTEU) short code, there are no charges to the user.
The goal of the program is to facilitate the secure transmission of personal health information between Medicaid and underserved patients and their caregivers by removing cost and access barriers. This, officials say, would lead to better communications and, ultimately, improved clinical outcomes.
“This is a true game-changer for remote patient care and the healthcare industry in general because of the need and benefit in communicating PHI to patients in-the-moment, when and where they need it,” said Alan Stern, vice president of healthcare solutions for Clark, N.J-based Gold Mobile, in a press release.
“Assurance Wireless selected Gold Mobile to work with because of this unique mobile health care solution,” added David Avila, business development manager for the Warren, N.J-based phone service, which is a no-contract brand in the Spring portfolio. “Through our combined programs, we can provide affordable, secure and socially conscious health and wellness communications for low-income member patients to improve their health and, ultimately, their quality of life.”
Assurance Wireless, which provides a free phone (a Kyocera Jax), 250 free voice minutes and 250 free text messages to low-income eligible residents in more than 40 states, is supported by the Universal Service Fund, which helps low-income residents keep in touch with prospective or current employers, school services, doctors and family members in times of emergency.
According to company officials, healthcare providers, health plans and health systems can use GoMo Chat Secure to send secure one-way, two-way text chat and voice communications to high-risk and recently discharged members and patients.
GoMo Chat Secure is limited to one wireless account per household and available to those who meet certain federal or state-specific eligibility criteria.
Officials said residents may qualify for the program if they participate in certain public assistance programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) or Section 8, Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) or the National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program. They may also qualify based on household income.
