NEWS
Mastercard and Island Pay launch digital currency in Bahamas to combining digital currency use with access to foreign currency and other payment outlets . The Central Bank of The Bahamas will continue to encourage fintech developments that tie into the Sand Dollar infrastructure , while allowing us to satisfy best global practices for regulation of the space .”
Bahamians have received greater flexibility in how they shop and pay using the country ’ s digital currency , the first of its kind . Under a new program from Mastercard and Island Pay , the Bahamas Sand Dollar prepaid card gives people the option to instantly convert the digital currency to traditional Bahamian dollars and pay for goods and services anywhere Mastercard is accepted on the Islands and around the world .
The digital Sand Dollar is issued by the Central Bank of The Bahamas and carries the same value and consumer protections as a traditional Bahamian dollar . The digital currency can be used to facilitate government disbursements , offer additional payment choices and build a more inclusive economy .
John Rolle , Central Bank of The Bahamas Governor , said : “ We welcome this approach
Richard Douglas , Co-founder of Island Pay , said : “ By working closely with the Central Bank of The Bahamas and Mastercard , we are able to issue a prepaid card unlike any other in the world .
“ We are now able to bring immediate , critical benefits to our customers at a time when they are looking to find new , innovative ways to pay .
“ The Bahamas is leading innovation in CBDCs , and we ’ re thrilled to be able to play an important role in helping to democratize access to currency , especially in areas that are currently underserved .”
IBM Watson Health enhances experience of Humana Employer Group members
Humana and IBM Watson Health have announced a collaboration leveraging IBM ’ s conversational AI solution – to provide greater transparency on benefits for Humana Employer Group members . As part of the agreement , Humana will deploy IBM Watson Assistant for Health Benefits , an
AI-enabled virtual assistant built in the IBM Watson Health cloud .
Initially , the service will be available to all of Humana ’ s 1.3 million Employer Group medical members and 1.8 million of Humana ’ s Employer Group dental members .
Watson Assistant for Health Benefits provides rapid , accurate and helpful information utilizing a conversational virtual assistant with member benefits , coverage , claims , referrals and healthcare costs for Humana Employer Group members , agents and employercustomers . The objective is the creation of a cloud-native AI platform powered by IBM Watson with the conversational AI virtual assistant solution .
Chris Hunter , Segment President of Humana ’ s Group and Military Business , said : “ At Humana , we strive to use technology to better serve our members with simple and convenient healthcare experiences .
“ By harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence fused with embedded analytics in the Watson Health platform , we can help our employer-customers , members , agents and broker partners enhance their knowledge so they can all make more informed decisions .”
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