Key TakeawaysUnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurance provider in the United States, is shipping flu kits to more than 200,000 at-risk members.The kits contain Tamiflu, a digital thermometer, and a COVID-19 PCR test.The hope is that the kits will help at-risk customers get early access to care.

Key Takeaways

UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurance provider in the United States, is shipping flu kits to more than 200,000 at-risk members.The kits contain Tamiflu, a digital thermometer, and a COVID-19 PCR test.The hope is that the kits will help at-risk customers get early access to care.

As public health experts warn of the possible “twindemic” of COVID-19 and the flu, one insurance company is taking a proactive approach to keeping its members safe and healthy. UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurance company in the United States, plans to ship 200,000 kits to at-risk patients to help with early detection and treatment.

According to a report inTheNew York Times, the kits includeTamiflu(a prescription antiviral flu treatment), a digital thermometer, and acoronavirus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testthat can be taken at home and mailed to a lab for analysis.

UnitedHealthcare hopes that the kits will help its most at-risk members stay on top of their health and take steps to diagnose and treat any illnesses. According to theTimesreport, the company has already shipped 120,000 kits.

UnitedHealthcare did not respond to Verywell’s request for comment.

What Is Tamiflu?

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Tamiflu can also help to reduce the symptoms of the flu.

In general, it’s advised that people take Tamiflu within 48 hours of developing symptoms of the flu, Pedro Piedra, MD, a professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Verywell.

Tamiflu does have potential side effects, including nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, nosebleeds, headache, and fatigue. However, the FDA states that taking the medication with food may help reduce these side effects.

Help for Those At Risk

Is It Flu or COVID-19? Here’s What To Expect if You Get Sick

Before they could get a kit, customers had to promise that they would not take the Tamiflu or COVID-19 test until they had received direction from their healthcare provider through a telemedicine visit. They were also asked to agree to not give the Tamiflu to anyone else.

UnitedHealthcare isn’t the only insurance company taking proactive steps to help manage care for at-risk customers: In September, Aetna announced that it planned to send kits to its Medicare members that contained a thermometer,hand sanitizer, and face masks.Around the same time, Anthem began creating pop-up clinics to administer freeflu vaccines.

Pedro Piedra, MDWhen one takes proactive steps, others will follow.

Pedro Piedra, MD

When one takes proactive steps, others will follow.

Currently, UnitedHealthcare is the only company dispensing medication to its members.

Doctors Have Mixed Feelings

Proactively sending Tamiflu to at-risk populations is a fairly new concept. While most medical professionals have indicated the practice could be helpful, it has its pros and cons.

“I am very concerned about the twindemic and think that this is a really great proactive step,”Scott Kaiser, MD, a geriatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, tells Verywell. “But it can be very difficult to distinguish between symptoms of the flu and COVID-19, [and] Tamiflu is not a benign medication without risks, particularly in an older population.”

Older Adults Vulnerable to ‘Twindemic’ of Flu and COVID-19

Kathryn Boling, MD, a primary care physician at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center, says that an at-home kit is a good idea to prevent exposure to either flu or COVID-19 at the doctor’s office. But she doesn’t expect everyone to use the kit properly.

“If you have the flu, you don’t want to go to the doctor and risk exposing people to what you have,” Boling tells Verywell. “But in some ways, it’s not a good idea, because some people are just going to assume they have the flu when they develop symptoms and take the medication anyway.”

Kathryn Boling, MDIf you don’t have the flu, taking Tamiflu is not going to help you get better.

Kathryn Boling, MD

If you don’t have the flu, taking Tamiflu is not going to help you get better.

Boling is concerned that people may develop antiviral resistance if they take Tamiflu when they don’t need it. “If you don’t have the flu, taking Tamiflu is not going to help you get better,” she says. “If a whole bunch of people take Tamiflu when have colds and not the flu, it could lead to antiviral resistance. Given that everyone and their brother comes in herewith a cold and want antibiotics,I can foresee people taking their Tamiflu when they don’t need it.”

Still, most experts feel that the program is a good one. “It’s reassuring to me that they’re coupling this with a telemedicine service,” Kaiser says. “It’s great to empower people and to help them manage their situation and reduce as many burdens and barriers as possible.”

Piedra expects other health insurance companies to follow suit in the future. “When one takes proactive steps, others will follow,” he says. “When it comes to early treatment of influenza in the U.S., we really don’t have a good system to help people be seen in a timely manner and still qualify for early treatment with Tamiflu or other antiviral drugs. Being proactive with that can help.”

What This Means For YouIf you’re a UnitedHealthcare member, you might be eligible for a free flu kit. Even if you’re not, your health insurance provider might offer something similar. Call your insurance provider for details.

What This Means For You

If you’re a UnitedHealthcare member, you might be eligible for a free flu kit. Even if you’re not, your health insurance provider might offer something similar. Call your insurance provider for details.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.Tamiflu: Consumer Questions and Answers.CVS Health.Aetna ships Caring for You kits to millions of Medicare members.Anthem.No-cost flu shots available near you – Anthem Blue Cross Medicaid Blog.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.Tamiflu: Consumer Questions and Answers.CVS Health.Aetna ships Caring for You kits to millions of Medicare members.Anthem.No-cost flu shots available near you – Anthem Blue Cross Medicaid Blog.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.Tamiflu: Consumer Questions and Answers.CVS Health.Aetna ships Caring for You kits to millions of Medicare members.Anthem.No-cost flu shots available near you – Anthem Blue Cross Medicaid Blog.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.Tamiflu: Consumer Questions and Answers.

CVS Health.Aetna ships Caring for You kits to millions of Medicare members.

Anthem.No-cost flu shots available near you – Anthem Blue Cross Medicaid Blog.

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?