How "in-the-moment" support helped a mom navigate the health care system
When Michelle suspected her daughter had an eating disorder, she wasn’t sure what to do next. In-the-moment support helped her find her way.
Being there: Michelle's story
When Michelle first suspected her daughter may have an eating disorder, she wasn’t sure how to address it.
“I remember thinking, ‘how do I know if this is a problem — and then if it is a problem, how do I address it?’” Michelle says.
But as an employee with employer-sponsored insurance, she recalled she had access to "in-the-moment" support through UnitedHealthcare. Upon calling, Michelle was connected to a master’s-level specialist, who was able to provide "in-the-moment" support in real time and helped her navigate the complex health care system, providing tailored care recommendations based on her daughter’s situation.
That also means supporting caregivers, too. In addition to providing Michelle with care options as it related to her daughter, the specialist also asked about Michelle's own emotional health needs and provided some care resources, based on her needs and resources provided through her employer- sponsored benefits.
Programs like this can be critical to employers because the stress and anxiety that may come with employees managing these situations on their own could negatively impact their work productivity, which may ultimately lead to increased absenteeism. Offering employees access to unlimited master’s-level support to a professional they can talk to around the clock, day or night can help employees navigate stressful situations and de-escalate issues before they become potentially bigger crises.
"In-the-moment" support helped Michelle quickly navigate to the best resources for her daughter’s care, which enabled her to save time maneuvering a complex system on her own, which may have resulted in a larger crisis.
“If I hadn’t called "in-the-moment" support, it could have been so much worse,” Michelle says.
More about "in-the-moment" support provided by UnitedHealthcare
Available 24/7 by phone, "in-the-moment" support provides confidential, emotional support tailored to each member. Specialists can talk through concerns about family and relationships, stress related to a health condition, financial stress, anxiety and depression and more. They help support members on next steps and offer recommendations for ongoing care.
