Well-being enhancement company,
Healthways Inc.
(
HWAY
) plans to offer its SilverSneakers Fitness Program to members of
Nashville-based Windsor Health Plan, a division of Windsor Health
Group. Windsor Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage and Medicare
Prescription Drug plans to improve the well-being of its elderly
members.
Through the alliance, eligible members of the Windsor Medicare
Advantage Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan residing in
Virginia, Idaho, Mississippi, Tennessee, Montana, South Carolina
and Arkansas will be able to access Healthway's SilverSneakers
Fitness Program. Additionally, the Windsor CompPlus HMO Special
Needs Plan (SNP) members for Medicare/Medicaid dual-eligibles
will receive extra benefits from the program.
The SilverSneakers Fitness Program encourages older people to
exercise regularly in order to lower healthcare expenses and
enhance well being. The highly acclaimed program promotes
positive changes in behavior by meshing social encounters with
its fitness regimen. It was founded in 1993 and caters to over 9
million eligible candidates across 15,000 fitness facilities.
The contract will help Healthways achieve its proposed outlook
for 2013. The company expects revenues in the range of $710-$750
million (after accounting $80 million for the Cigna contract
loss) for 2013. Moreover, it expects organic revenues for 2014 to
exceed 2013 revenues by at least $85 million with incremental
revenues from additional contracts.
The Healthways model encourages people to make favorable
lifestyle changes that lead to enhanced well being, reduced
healthcare costs, improved performance and economic value for
customers. The company has invested in technology platforms that
provide scalable support with large populations. It has tie-ups
with a large proportion of U.S. health care plans and counts
millions of lives in its customer base.
Healthways is the leader in a strategically critical and rapidly
evolving part of the health care services market. Due to its
unique scalable business model, the company shares may present a
long-term investment opportunity, although it faces many
challenges in the short term. One of the primary competitors of
the company includes
Express Scripts Holding Company
(
ESRX
).
Currently, Healthways retains a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which
supports its Neutral recommendation for the long-term.
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