Calling it a step for members “to take a more proactive role in managing their health,” AmeriHealth New Jersey announced it is providing its members with online health information from WebMD.

Judith Roman

AmeriHealth New Jersey, with offices in Mt. Laurel and Iselin, N.J., is enhancing its member website with WebMD’s “clinically accurate, relevant health care information,” according to the insurer.

“The Internet has changed the way people make their most important decisions, and nowhere is that more apparent than in health care” said Judith Roman, president and chief executive officer of AmeriHealth New Jersey, in a statement. “Our new website will let our members take a more proactive role in managing their health, especially to better understand the connection between lifestyle choices and health care costs.”

Roman added that the website enhancement is a response to member requests for additional resources and tools “to help them live healthier, more fulfilling lives.”

By providing tools targeted for specific health situations, the website should help AmeriHealth New Jersey members better manage physician visits, monitor prescription drugs they use, easily find a doctor or hospital equipped for their needs, learn more about the risks and rewards of various health decisions, and use interactive applications to improve their lifestyles, according to the company.

Among the feature of the new web portal for AmeriHealth New Jersey members are a personal health risk profile with personalized reports and action plans; lifestyle improvement programs on nutrition, smoking cessation, exercise and other topics; a treatment cost estimator; the WebMD Medical Encyclopedia; and physician and hospital finder tools.

AmeriHealth New Jersey, comprised of AmeriHealth HMO, Inc. and AmeriHealth Insurance Company of New Jersey, provides health insurance coverage to employers and individuals throughout the state.