WA’s biggest health insurer is almost at the end of a significant upgrade to its technology and systems which it says will make them easier to use and safer.
But in the coming weeks as HBF switches to a new website and upgraded systems to manage member and provider claims, there may be some temporary impact on providers and members.
To help with the transition to the upgraded system, HBF will stop accepting manual medical claims from Thursday 25 July for about four weeks, and in the interim, providers can continue to submit claims via eclipse.
HBF has already alerted medical practitioners about the proposed updates via an email on 12 July and will directly update all providers if this timeframe changes — though no change is anticipated this close to the nominated date.
Dr Daniel Heredia, HBF’s Group Executive Manager Insurance and Health Services, explained that HBF was at the tail-end of a multi-year technology upgrade intended to simplify the process for prospective members to obtain a quote for health cover with HBF.
“The new functionalities and features are targeted at making it easier for existing members to change their personal details, provide more seamless self-service interactions when making updates to their policy, and experience a personalised and user-friendly journey when engaging with our website and app,” Dr Heredia said.
“As an increasing number of our members interact with us via our digital channels, these technology improvements will create a sustainable foundation for us to deliver on our core purpose of always being there for our members in the moments that matter.”
In addition, the new systems are intended to make it easier for HBF’s employees to navigate and capture interactions with members, so that the insurer can offer more efficient service and improved resolutions at the first point of contact.
“It will also streamline our processes by reducing manual processes and the embedded controls will enhance security,” Dr Heredia said.
“With access to improved functionality and features, we can ensure we can continue to provide the best possible experiences for our members, employees and providers.
“However, the cut-over weekend will see all our systems down so we would like to keep doctors informed given the impact on both them and their patients, even though we are working hard to minimise these impacts.”