Included Health’s New AI Gets Personal With Health and Benefits Data

Included Health has launched “Dot,” an AI assistant that uses a member's personal health and benefits data to provide personalized guidance, moving beyond the generic advice of typical health chatbots. The tool is designed to give users specific answers about their coverage, provider networks, and care options.

• Beyond the wrapper: Unlike chatbots that pull from public internet data, Dot is built on a foundation of private, member-specific information. "Unlike mass-market chatbots that offer generic advice, Dot operates on a deep understanding of each member — drawing on medical data, claims, and benefits information to deliver truly personalized guidance," said Nupur Srivastava, chief operating officer at Included Health.

• The human safety net: The launch positions Included Health in a competitive field against tech giants and other startups. The company's core differentiator is a "clinician-in-the-loop" model that keeps human medical experts on standby to intervene, an approach it calls "AI+EQ." If a user's conversation indicates a serious mental health crisis, a clinician is alerted to call the member.

The company's ambition is for Dot to evolve from a reactive tool into a proactive health partner. The AI is being trained to nudge users toward preventive screenings, help them stick to care plans, and eventually handle administrative headaches like scheduling appointments. The AI launch is part of a broader expansion for the company, which recently opened a virtual specialty care clinic for conditions like cancer and weight loss. The new chatbot will also be used to deliver the company's "Healthy Days" program, which is based on a CDC metric for well-being.