Nationwide Offers Health Care in Retirement Help

Nationwide will offer the Nationwide Care Concierge service to existing and new customers of certain variable annuities at no additional cost beginning July 24. This confidential service allows advisers to provide 24-hour access to guidance on many of the complex questions and issues that can come up in retirement.

“Nationwide is committed to trying new things to help Americans prepare for and live in retirement,” says Eric Henderson, senior vice president of Nationwide’s annuity and life insurance businesses. “We’re proud to offer Care Concierge on select variable annuities as a new, innovative benefit for members.”

The Care Concierge service will be administered by West’s Health Advocate Solutions, a clinical health care advocacy provider. The firm estimates that Care Concierge will initially be available to 25,000 members, increasing to more than 30,000 members by the end of the first year. In addition to contract owners, the program extends to their spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law.

As part of the program, Nationwide will assist those turning age 65 navigate the Medicare system. The firm will also help clients find doctors and make appointments, research and review medical treatment options, and manage health insurance claims as well as billing issues.

“Health Advocate is an industry leader in health care advocacy serving over 50 million lives,” Henderson says. “We trust them with our own associates as we have a current partnership with them as an associate benefit, and we trust them with our members.”