CHAMPAIGN — Your pet may be part of your family, but health insurance companies that cover people generally stand out in covering your four-legged pet.

One of our local insurance companies has an exception for Medicare Advantage member pets.

Health Alliance Medical Plans was recently honored by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute for providing Medicare Advantage members with pets full paid access to 24-hour veterinary telemedicine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pet ownership is associated with health benefits such as increased physical activity, reduced loneliness and anxiety, improved cognitive function in older adults, and lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Related.

Health Alliance Vice President of Strategy and Marketing Jana Perry said:

This year, the Health Alliance began offering 24-hour veterinary telemedicine services for pets to Medicare Advantage members in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa through whiskerDocs, Perry said.

Skokie-based whiskerDocs allows veterinarians to advise pet owners by phone, email, or chat.

Medicare beneficiaries often have a fixed income, Perry said, and help from whiskerDocs may be helping them avoid trips to the vet.

“Again, it all depends on individual well-being,” she said.

Perry said whiskerDocs has nominated Health Alliance for the Human Animal Bond Innovation Award.

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute recently presented three awards. One of which he was awarded by the Health Alliance in the category of Products and Services.

According to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, the award recognizes innovative programs that promote human-animal bonds and help build a more pet-friendly society.

Some Health Alliance Medicare Advantage members may have missed the launch of the whiskerDocs service in their annual registration information, Perry said, so the company will mail information about it to members soon.

“We want to make sure people are aware of this service,” she said.