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Humana Military Healthcare Services Launches Online Community for Military Members and Their Families
TRIWORLD, a free online virtual world, improves service to members and enhances real-time communication among military families
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — February 4, 2010 — Humana Military Healthcare Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), proudly announces the launch of TRIWORLD, a first-ever online virtual world designed exclusively for military families. Initially launched in July as a beta test, TRIWORLD is now ready for immediate use by beneficiaries—including active duty servicemen and women, retirees, and families—through the Humana Military web site.
In collaboration with Linden Lab’s Second Life, a pioneer in the creation of online virtual communities—TRIWORLD offers military members and their loved ones a way to create and control lifelike “avatars”—online personalized characters—who can communicate and interact in lifelike virtual settings just as humans do in the real world. Through their avatars, military family members can do whatever they would do together in person: meet, greet, walk, talk, drive, dance—even learn about their TRICARE benefits.
“Humana Military is excited to offer this dynamic platform free of charge to our military members and their families,” said Dave Baker, president and CEO for Humana Military. “TRIWORLD enables us to provide enhanced guidance about TRICARE in a comfortable setting, without having to pick up a phone or travel to a TRICARE Service Center. Family members experience real-time interaction, in a realistic setting, with real emotions, whether they’re across town or across the world.”
The TRIWORLD online community is a “closed world.” Only authorized Humana Military beneficiaries and their families will be granted access—at no charge—through a portal located on the Humana Military website. No commercialization is allowed. TRIWORLD is active 24/7 to accommodate all worldwide time zones and users can explore and interact in five different virtual settings:
- A Community Welcome and Orientation Center where users can learn about their virtual world, and access information and updates about their health benefit.
- A Tropical Island where users can enjoy water and beach activities (windsurfing, hand gliding, and jet skiing), strolls on the sandy beaches, picnics, and family fun.
- A Residential Neighborhood complete with an interactive soccer field, fishing, miniature golf, a drive-in theatre, picnic grounds, clubhouse with games and individual homes where families can enjoy time together.
- An Overseas Desert Military Base/Battlefield replica that enables military members to show family members where and how they live and work when away from home.
- A Media and Conference Center with private meeting and press rooms, including an area to watch and listen to TRICARE educational briefings, an amphitheatre for concerts, and park like settings.
To help member military families get the most from their virtual world experience, Humana Military will also provide authorized users free 24/7 online access to Avatar and Second Life consultants who can offer one-on-one support in creating and personalizing avatars and in using and navigating the virtual settings to locate their benefit information.
“Military men and women and their families go above and beyond the call of duty everyday,” said Baker. “Providing free enhanced services through TRIWORLD is one way Humana Military can do something extra for them.”
About Humana Military Healthcare Services
Humana Military, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, has been a Department of Defense contractor for the administration of the TRICARE program since July 1, 1996. In August 2003, Humana Military was awarded the contract to provide health-benefits support and services to approximately three million active duty and retired military and their eligible family members in the 10-state South Region. Humana Military was also awarded the Department of Defense contract to provide health care services and support for active duty service members and their families located in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, in February 2004.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.3 million medical members and approximately 7.2 million specialty-benefit members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplemental benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.
Over its 49-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at Humana's web site, including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders;
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings;
- Most recent investor conference presentations;
- Quarterly earnings news releases;
- Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls;
- Calendar of events (including upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors);
- Corporate Governance information.
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