NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 19, 2024--
DUOS, the digital health innovator empowering older adults to live independently, is proud to announce the addition of new features in its continued effort to holistically change the way the industry approaches healthcare. With this latest innovation, DUOS members will now have the ability to seamlessly tap into end-to-end applications for federal and state assistance programs across all 50+ states including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Veteran assistance, and Medicaid, to be matched with the benefits that they are entitled to and rightfully deserve.
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“This program comes at a time when Americans need it most—enduring economic hardship such as inflation that both impacts the cost of life and access to the healthcare services they need,” said Art Petrossian, Chief Technology Officer at DUOS. “At DUOS, we’re committed to using AI for good to take some of that burden and worry away for vulnerable member populations. This extends beyond health insurance benefits, doctor visits, and medical treatments—truly looking at “final mile” government programs as part of a holistic healthcare journey.”
DUOS’ enhanced and optimized platform leverages AI to seamlessly complete and submit forms to the appropriate state and federal government agencies on behalf of members using data provided by health plan partners and self-attestation, allowing users to review, submit, and even mail applications seamlessly. It also integrates with state benefit systems for users already leveraging DUOS, ensuring all relevant benefits are preloaded for faster processing. Members can self-service their applications while tracking progress at every stage, fostering visibility, accessibility, transparency, and flexibility throughout the process. With these new features, health plans will also gain better insights into the status of member applications and the diverse needs of their members.
“At our core, we’re not just striving to add years to people’s lives, but to enhance the quality of those years,” said Karl Ulfers, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at DUOS. “We believe that food security, access to care, and understanding what benefits are available to truly support health are essential parts of the equation. DUOS is the connective tissue—bridging what matters most to members. We aim to be the 'easy button,' simplifying complexities and improving access to care.”
This newest innovation is the company’s latest commitment to using AI responsibly to truly empower older adults and maximize healthcare efficiency. The announcement comes on the heels of DUOS’ launch of Chat 2.0 in October to improve its chat function to support better navigation of care coverage.
About
DUOS is a leading digital health company that empowers individuals to achieve optimal health and improve their financial well-being. Established in 2020, DUOS is reimagining the future of aging by engaging and connecting people with essential resources. DUOS’ innovative SaaS solution and activation campaigns seamlessly integrate an otherwise fragmented network of government programs and insurance benefits, enhancing the continuum of care while delivering a cohesive and accessible experience. By prioritizing equitable access to social services and preventive care, DUOS aims to address the diverse needs of our aging population. For more information, visit getduos.com or follow DUOS on LinkedIn.
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Amid the havoc wrought by a violent earthquake two days earlier, Ivan Oswald and his staff prepared for lunchtime service Thursday at Nambawan Cafe, on an idyllic stretch of Vanuatu’s waterfront.
The menu for the usual lunchtime rush was replaced with defrosted sausages for emergency workers sifting through rubble in search of those trapped alive or killed in flattened buildings when the massive, 7.3 jolt hit Port Vila, Vanuatu’s capital 48 hours earlier. Search crews were joined Thursday by specialists arriving in waves from Australia, New Zealand and France.
Earthquakes are normal for the South Pacific nation made up of 80 islands and home to 330,000 people, but Tuesday’s terrifying shake was like nothing residents had felt before. Centered 30 kilometers (19 miles) offshore, at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles), the quake was followed by hundreds of rattling aftershocks.
The death toll was still unclear and official information remained scarce.
The government initially confirmed 14 deaths. Early on Friday, it said 10 had been verified by the hospital -- but officials expected the number would rise. More than 200 injured people were treated, officials said, but that figure has not been updated since around early Wednesday.
Nearly 1,000 people have been displaced, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, with that number too likely to grow.
On Thursday, telecommunications -- though piecemeal and patchy -- were more widely restored after a near total blackout following the quake. It offered residents of Vanuatu answers about the scale of the damage and about how many people were missing.
As word got around that Nambawan had power and an independent internet source, rescuers, tourists and locals visited to charge devices and attempt to locate their relatives.
“We've had a few tears,” said Oswald, the cafe's owner. “I can't help with the rescue, but I can help with this.”
The extent of the damage became clearer on Thursday. The worst-hit area was Port Vila's downtown, busy with lunchtime shoppers on Tuesday. Some outlying islands and villages near the quake's epicenter have experienced landslides.
Infrastructure damage was extensive, including to hospitals, roads, buildings, two major water reservoirs and gas pipes. Response efforts were hampered by access problems.
A massive landslide has blocked the sea port, limiting the transport of essential supplies and personnel, the UN humanitarian agency said. The airport was open only for aid flights on Thursday, but the runway has been deemed operational and the resumption of commercial services will be considered on Friday.
But risk of more serious slips loomed as rain began late Thursday night. A low pressure system moving towards Vanuatu threatened a low to medium chance of a cyclone, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, and more rain was expected in coming days.
That could prompt further landslides, erosion and floods in already vulnerable areas, officials said, as they warned those living on hillsides to evacuate. An urgent environmental assessment was needed to prevent an ecological disaster, the UN update early Friday said.
Aid agencies told The Associated Press on Wednesday that their biggest worries were about drinking water and shelter for those unable to return home. The main utilities provider, UNELCO, said it could take two weeks to fully restore water service, according to the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation.
The hunt for survivors and recovery of bodies centered on two collapsed buildings in the city center, with Australian search experts on Thursday joining locals who had desperately dug for people yelling out from the crumpled structures. After dramatic rescues of dust-covered survivors that lifted spirits on Tuesday and Wednesday, the mood had become bleaker about the prospects for those trapped, residents said.
It was not known how many people remained in the buildings — a garage and a surf clothing store. Among the dead was a French national, Vincent Goiset, said Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer, France's ambassador to Vanuatu.
Two Chinese nationals were also killed, Vanuatu officials said.
Another building housing embassies for several countries — including the United States, France and New Zealand — also crumpled, but no casualties were reported. Military flights evacuated 148 Australian nationals from Vanuatu late on Wednesday.
Hundreds more foreigners waited for commercial flights to resume so they could leave. The quake at the start of the summer season in the tourism-dependent island nation threatened an economic crisis if tourists did not return, said Glen Craig, chair of the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council.
“We've had such bad luck,” said Craig, referring to the three cyclones that struck in 2023 and the collapse of Vanuatu's national airline in May. “We were just getting back on our feet and we were really looking forward to a bumper summer.”
In this photo released by Australian Department of Defence, Australians disembark from an aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley, Australia after a flight home from Port Vila, Vanuatu, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, following a powerful earthquake that struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. (CPL Adam Abela/Australian Department of Defence via AP)
In this photo released by Australian Department of Defence, Australian citizens board a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft for a flight home from Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 following a powerful earthquake that struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. (CPL Adam Abela/Australian Department of Defence via AP)
In this photo released by Australian Department of Defence, Australian citizens board a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft for a flight home from Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 following a powerful earthquake that struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. (CPL Adam Abela/Australian Department of Defence via AP)
Josephine Taut makes sausages for emergency workers at Nambawan Cafe in Port Vila, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, following a strong earthquake that struck off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Ivan Oswald via AP)
Australian citizen's are briefed on evacuation plans in Port Vila, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, following a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, Tuesday, Dec. 17. (DFAT via AP)
Australian citizen's are briefed on evacuation plans in Port Vila, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, following a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, Tuesday, Dec. 17. (DFAT via AP)
Damage to the inside of the Nambawan Cafe in Port Vila, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, following a strong earthquake that struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. (Ivan Oswald via AP)
Damage to the inside of the Nambawan Cafe in Port Vila, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, following a strong earthquake that struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. (Ivan Oswald via AP)
Members of Australia's Federal Police and other rescue workers stand by a collapsed building in Port Vila, Vanuatu, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, following a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Australian Federal Police via AP)
A member of Australia's Federal Police stands by a collapsed building in Port Vila, Vanuatu, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, following a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Australian Federal Police via AP)
