Introduction
Humana is set to enhance its customer service capabilities with the launch of an innovative artificial intelligence tool called Agent Assist. This technology, designed to support call center agents in answering beneficiaries’ inquiries about their coverage, promises to streamline processes and improve the overall experience for users.
Dive Brief:
Humana has announced the rollout of an AI tool aimed at assisting call center representatives in addressing beneficiary questions regarding their coverage. Developed in collaboration with Google Cloud, Agent Assist can summarize conversations between agents and enrollees in real time while highlighting key information such as the member’s benefits, eligibility details, and relevant context from the call. Chris Sakalosky, vice president of strategic industries at Google Cloud, shared this information via email.
The launch of Agent Assist began in October, with plans for broader implementation across Humana’s service centers this year.
Dive Insight:
This tool is expected to help Humana’s more than 20,000 support employees manage the 80 million calls the insurer receives annually more efficiently and accurately, as highlighted in a press release.
Agent Assist offers guidance to call center staff, enabling them to assist enrollees with their benefits and eligibility questions while minimizing manual work and enhancing consistency in responses. According to Humana, workers will no longer need to navigate through multiple systems to retrieve beneficiary information, as Agent Assist can summarize calls, eliminating the need for note-taking.
Moreover, the implementation of this AI tool could lead to significant cost savings for Humana. During a third-quarter earnings call in November, CEO Jim Rechtin mentioned that their AI platform, along with other efficiency initiatives, is expected to yield over $100 million in savings within a few years while simultaneously improving operational quality.
Despite its benefits, experts emphasize that AI can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading information, and its effectiveness may diminish over time, necessitating continuous oversight of its outputs.
Humana has assured that Agent Assist is equipped with safety measures. The company stated that the tool undergoes regular review and monitoring to maintain performance standards.
Furthermore, the tool relies on verified internal health plan information and policy documents, ensuring that only accurate information is presented. Sakalosky added that call center agents can reference citations and source materials related to the information provided by the tool.
“Crucially, the model operates within a human-in-the-loop framework: technology takes care of data retrieval and summarization, while the advocate remains the final reviewer and is accountable for the information conveyed to the member,” explained Sakalosky.
Humana’s introduction of this AI tool coincides with a growing trend in the healthcare sector, where AI technologies are increasingly utilized to assist clinicians in documentation, manage extensive data, and provide clinical information to physicians.
However, insurance providers have been slower to adopt these technologies compared to healthcare providers. According to an October report by venture capital firm Menlo Ventures, nearly 30% of health systems now use AI tools, while only 14% of insurance payers have integrated similar products.
Experts suggest that as payers strive to rebuild consumer trust in health plans, the implementation of AI tools is likely to accelerate this year.
Conclusion
The launch of Humana’s Agent Assist tool represents a significant move towards integrating AI technologies in the insurance sector. By equipping call center employees with real-time assistance and verified information, Humana aims to create a more efficient and trustworthy customer service experience for its beneficiaries.
