UnitedHealthcare announced Thursday that it has launched a generative artificial intelligence companion to improve care coordination for members.
The AI companion, called Avery, allows users to find information about coverage, personal benefits, appointment schedules, claim approval status, benefit descriptions, and more.
Eligible members can access the tool through the UnitedHealthcare app or myuhc.com.
Craig Kurzweil, United Healthcare’s chief data and analytics officer, told Fierce Healthcare that Avery was trained using “tremendous amounts of data” across the system.
A UnitedHealthcare spokesperson said the patterns are created using conversations and voice calls with advocates, and the AI bot is “fine-tuned” until it correctly answers questions using digital data. This will be reviewed and approved by the AI Review Board and governed by the system’s Responsible Use Policy.
If a member has additional questions, the tool will automatically route them to a representative for a live call.
However, Kurzweil said 90% of users did not request additional support during Avery’s rollout.
If additional help is needed, Avery’s “unique ability” to translate digital conversations into conversations with advocates makes the process easier, Kurzweil said.
Kurzweil said the organization is constantly striving to improve the consumer experience and ensure program accuracy.
Apart from further support requests, quality is measured by accuracy, completeness, resolution and time, the spokesperson confirmed.
“People want their health care to be easy to use and customized to their individual needs,” Dan Cooter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s commercial business, said in the announcement. “Avery is one way we are meeting consumer demand for a more tailored, simpler experience and allowing our members to focus on what matters most: getting and staying healthy.”
Avery is currently available to approximately 6.5 million UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored health plan members and 160,000 Medicare Advantage members. The organization plans to expand the tool’s reach to a total of 20.5 million members by the end of 2026.
The new companion is part of UnitedHealth Group’s ongoing investment in AI, with $1.6 billion planned for 2026, according to the announcement.
