Payer

A person talking to a provider via a video chat on a tablet.
By  Emily Olsen 10:22 am April 7, 2023
Aetna, the insurer owned by CVS Health, on Thursday announced a value-based care partnership with digital gastrointestinal care startup Oshi Health.  Oshi offers virtual access to a team of providers – including a gastroenterologist, dietitian, behavioral health clinician and a health coach – to patients with digestive concerns like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's Disease and ulcerative...
A businessperson talks with a doctor in a hospital board room.
By  Dr. Liz Kwo and Timothy Lee 09:53 am April 7, 2023
The change in reimbursement policies through the pandemic have made it possible to bill for services, such as virtual care, that were previously unavailable or highly restrictive to rural settings. Many digital health startups and companies see these policy shifts as an opportunity to attract new customers and potentially be reimbursed like an in-network provider. While companies are developing...
Veteran and a child hugging
By  Jessica Hagen 05:50 pm April 5, 2023
Global medical device company Penumbra is partnering with the Veterans Health Administration Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning to test, co-create and implement virtual reality-based rehabilitative healthcare solutions for veterans. During the three-year collaboration the partners will focus on creating therapy software and programs for veterans, including immersive experiences that can...
Person looking out the window while holding a mobile phone
By  Jessica Hagen 01:58 pm April 3, 2023
Uber Health, the healthcare arm of transportation company Uber, announced the launch of an additional offering on its platform that allows users to manage same-day prescription delivery.  Thanks to an integration with ScriptDrop, Uber Health users will be able to manage delivery of their prescription from a pharmacy within their service area and track when their prescription will arrive.  Uber...
Josh Sackman, president and cofounder of AppliedVR
By  Jessica Hagen 12:42 pm April 3, 2023
California-based virtual reality therapeutic company AppliedVR received a unique Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPSC) Level II code from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for its RelieVRx system (formerly EaseVRx) to treat chronic low back pain.  Josh Sackman, president and cofounder of AppliedVR, joined MobiHealthNews to discuss the new reimbursement code and what's in...
A person using a smartphone.
By  Emily Olsen 11:13 am April 3, 2023
Wellth, a digital health startup that offers small financial rewards for completing health-related tasks, scooped up $20 million in Series B funding. The round was led by SignalFire, with participation from former Evolent Health CEO Frank Williams and previous investors the Social Entrepreneurs’ Fund, CD Venture, Yabeo and the Partnership Fund for NYC. WHAT IT DOES Wellth works with insurers,...
A person talking to a provider on a video call via tablet
By  Emily Olsen 12:02 pm March 30, 2023
Receiving telehealth services for opioid use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with reduced odds for fatal overdose among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.  Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the National Institutes of Health studied two cohorts of fee-for-...
A person wearing a mask walking by a CVS pharmacy
By  Emily Olsen 11:17 am March 24, 2023
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is urging the Federal Trade Commission to scrutinize CVS Health's planned acquisition of Medicare-focused primary care provider Oak Street Health. In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan and Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter, the progressive senator wrote the deal could lower quality of care and hike costs.  She also pointed to other acquisitions – ...
A person getting a vaccine at a pharmacy.
By  Emily Olsen 10:27 am March 24, 2023
Last month, two large retail and pharmacy companies made big moves in healthcare delivery: Amazon completed its purchase of One Medical, and CVS Health announced plans to buy Oak Street Health.  The deals aren't unexpected, said Christopher Lis, managing director of global healthcare intelligence at J.D. Power. More than 31 million people are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, key...
A person using a smartphone.
By  Emily Olsen 02:27 pm March 22, 2023
Digital mental health company SonderMind is acquiring Mindstrong's technology assets months after the fellow mental health firm laid off more than a hundred workers and shuttered its headquarters. The deal includes Mindstrong's tech and some of the company's tech-related workforce. According to reporting by Digital Health Business & Technology, about 20 workers will have jobs at SonderMind....