Humana Military introduces first-ever online community center for military families

Humana Military Healthcare Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), proudly announces the launch of TRIWORLD, a first-ever online virtual world designed exclusively for military families. Initially launched in July as a beta test, TRIWORLD is now ready for immediate use by beneficiaries—including active duty servicemen and women, retirees, and families—through the Humana Military web site at www.humana-military.com.

“TRIWORLD enables us to provide enhanced guidance about TRICARE in a comfortable setting, without having to pick up a phone or travel to a TRICARE Service Center. Family members experience real-time interaction, in a realistic setting, with real emotions, whether they’re across town or across the world.”

In collaboration with Linden Lab’s Second Life, a pioneer in the creation of online virtual communities—TRIWORLD offers military members and their loved ones a way to create and control lifelike “avatars”—online personalized characters—who can communicate and interact in lifelike virtual settings just as humans do in the real world. Through their avatars, military family members can do whatever they would do together in person: meet, greet, walk, talk, drive, dance—even learn about their TRICARE benefits.

“Humana Military is excited to offer this dynamic platform free of charge to our military members and their families,” said Dave Baker, president and CEO for Humana Military. “TRIWORLD enables us to provide enhanced guidance about TRICARE in a comfortable setting, without having to pick up a phone or travel to a TRICARE Service Center. Family members experience real-time interaction, in a realistic setting, with real emotions, whether they’re across town or across the world.”

The TRIWORLD online community is a “closed world.” Only authorized Humana Military beneficiaries and their families will be granted access—at no charge—through a portal located on the Humana Military website. No commercialization is allowed. TRIWORLD is active 24/7 to accommodate all worldwide time zones and users can explore and interact in five different virtual settings:

• A Community Welcome and Orientation Center where users can learn about their virtual world, and access information and updates about their health benefit.
• A Tropical Island where users can enjoy water and beach activities (windsurfing, hand gliding, and jet skiing), strolls on the sandy beaches, picnics, and family fun.
• A Residential Neighborhood complete with an interactive soccer field, fishing, miniature golf, a drive-in theatre, picnic grounds, clubhouse with games and individual homes where families can enjoy time together.
• An Overseas Desert Military Base/Battlefield replica that enables military members to show family members where and how they live and work when away from home.
• A Media and Conference Center with private meeting and press rooms, including an area to watch and listen to TRICARE educational briefings, an amphitheatre for concerts, and park like settings.

To help member military families get the most from their virtual world experience, Humana Military will also provide authorized users free 24/7 online access to Avatar and Second Life consultants who can offer one-on-one support in creating and personalizing avatars and in using and navigating the virtual settings to locate their benefit information.

“Military men and women and their families go above and beyond the call of duty everyday,” said Baker. “Providing free enhanced services through TRIWORLD is one way Humana Military can do something extra for them.”