MassMutual Becomes First U.S. Insurer to Offer Policyowners Free Access to AI-Guided Mental Health Support
Free access to Wysa Assure available to eligible MassMutual policyowners
Mass Mutual has announced that it is the first insurer in the U.S. to offer eligible policyowners free access to Wysa Assure, an AI-powered conversational mental health app created by Wysa and Swiss Re. This offering is the latest addition to MassMutual’s Health and Wellness Program, which provides policyowners with knowledge about their health, empowers them to seek out appropriate interventions and motivates healthy behaviors and lifestyles.
Data shows that more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness.1 Wysa Assure makes every day mental health support accessible through its clinically validated, AI-guided chat support, available 24/7. In addition to a free subscription, eligible policyowners get access to more than 150 evidence-based tools to address day-to-day challenges like anxiety, motivation, stress, sleep, and productivity. Another notable feature includes a well-being score to help users stay focused on their mental and emotional health.
“At MassMutual, we recognize the interconnectedness of mental and physical health and how both can influence our policyowners’ longevity,” said Sears Merritt, head of Enterprise Technology and Experience at MassMutual. “That’s why we are expanding our Health and Wellness Program to include mental health support, complementing our current offerings that focus on identifying potential health risks and rewarding healthy behaviors. By improving access to mental health support and continuing to invest in our policyowners’ well-being, we hope to help them better understand their overall health and take steps toward a happier, healthier, and longer life.”
MassMutual’s Health and Wellness Program has expanded significantly over the past year. Most recently, MassMutual broadened its partnership with GRAIL, building on its initial pilot where eligible policyowners were provided with access to GRAIL’s Galleri® multi-cancer early detection test. The first phase of the GRAIL program generated tremendous early interest, with more than 2,200 policyowners ordering the test in 2023. Following the program’s recent expansion, more than 10,000 policyowners are expected to participate in the program by the end of this year. To date, many individuals have received information from the test that has allowed them to better understand and protect their health, and 96% of those participating have indicated a positive overall experience with their testing.
Earlier this year, MassMutual also announced its expanded partnership with Genomics plc and expanded the availability of the MassMutual Wellness-Enhanced Lifestyle & Longevity (WELL) Rider offering to certain current term life policyowners in addition to new term life policyowners.
The MassMutual Health and Wellness Program employs a test-and-learn approach, with the development of the platform guided by policyowner interest and other learnings. Participation in MassMutual Health and Wellness Program initiatives is voluntary for policyowners. Results do not impact policyowners’ current policies or premiums. MassMutual only receives high-level, anonymized data from the Genomics, GRAIL and Wysa offerings and leverages policyowner information strictly to facilitate providing benefits associated with using the LivingWELL by MassMutual app. Anonymized, aggregate data allows the company to better understand policyowners’ health and behaviors as well as their interest in these types of offerings. Eligibility is based on factors including age, geography, and type of individual MassMutual policy.
1National Institute of Mental Health
