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Healthcare Spending Burden Is Higher for Medicare Households than Non-Medicare Households
On average, Medicare households spent 15% of their total spending on health-related expenses in 2021, versus 7% for non-Medicare households, according to a new KFF report.
Peterson Center on Healthcare Launches $50M Institute To Assess Digital Health Solutions
The Peterson Health Technology Institute will function as an “independent evaluator” of digital health solutions. It will analyze solutions’ clinical effectiveness, how they’re affecting healthcare costs, their ability to improve health equity, and their privacy and security capabilities.
The Vibe at Vive 2023: Preveta
Victor Lee, Preveta Health CEO, talked about how the care coordination technology company’s software supports earlier intervention to reduce the need for emergency room visits and hospitalization.
Consumer / Employer,Health Tech
Startup Launches Out of Redesign Health To Combat Loneliness Among Older Adults
Peppermint is an “online clubhouse community” for adults aged 55 and older that allows them to connect with others through online clubs (like for traveling or gardening), workshops (like for nutrition or photography) and collaboration (where members can work together on activities like creating a recipe book). It aims to reduce loneliness by creating a sense of community and purpose for older adults, Peppermint’s CEO said.
Amarin Restructures, Charting Course That Braces for Generic Competition
The restructuring of cardiovascular drugmaker Amarin means the layoff of about 30% of staff. Sales of Vascepa, the company’s only commercialized product, have suffered as generic versions gain traction in the market.
Consumer / Employer,Health Tech
Survey: 85% of Employees Don’t Use Their Mental Health Benefits
More than half of employees said they don’t have mental health benefits in their benefit package or aren’t sure if they do, according to a new survey. About two-thirds of respondents said they would use a digital mental health benefit if it was offered to them.
Report: 10 Prescription Drugs Took Up 22% of Medicare Part D Spending in 2021
KFF found that the 10 top-selling Part D drugs represented $47.7 billion of the $215.7 billion total gross Medicare Part D drug spending in 2021. Eliquis, a blood thinner by Bristol Myers Squibb, accounted for the most spending out of these 10 drugs at $12.6 billion.
Health Net Invests $46M To Support Unhoused in California
Health Net is making a $46 million investment that will be spread out across 26 counties in California, and will support Continuum of Care programs, which are regional or local planning bodies that help those experiencing homelessness find housing and other services.
Affect Therapeutics Secures $16M for Digital Addiction Recovery Platform
Affect Therapeutics’ $16 million Series A funding round was led by ARTIS Ventures and included participation from AlleyCorp, CityLight, LifeArc Ventures, Samsung Next and What If Ventures. In total, Affect Therapeutics has raised about $26 million, said Kristin Muhlner, co-founder and CEO of the company.
Health Connect America Gets Fined $4.6M for Wrongful Billing of Medicaid
Health Connect America, a mental health company, improperly billed Virginia Medicaid for three different behavioral health services for children, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Western District of Virginia.
The Vibe at Vive 2023: First Dollar
Jason Bornhorst第一美元首席执行官和创始人之一,explained why the current healthcare benefits infrastructure isn’t doing enough to serve patients and health plans.
Alfie Health Raises $2.1M for AI-powered Weight Loss Platform
Alfie Health’s $2.1 million seed funding was led by Y Combinator and Nina Capital. It included participation from Goodwater Capital, Phoenix Investment Club and several angel investors.
Have Insurtechs Truly Disrupted the Mainstream Health Insurance Industry?
Insurtechs like Bright Health Group, Clover Health and Oscar Health set out to disrupt health insurance — but have they actually done so? Not in a positive way, several experts say.
MA Enrollees Less Likely To Be Prescribed High-risk Medications Than Traditional Medicare Enrollees
In 2018, there were 41.5 high-risk medications per 1,000 beneficiaries for Medicare Advantage, compared to 56.9 high-risk medications per 1,000 beneficiaries for traditional Medicare, a new study found.
Consumer / Employer,Health Tech
Virgin Pulse Expands Partnership with Headspace
Through an expanded partnership, Virgin Pulse’s clients who use the Homebase for Health platform can now access Headspace’s full suite of services. This includes an on-demand employee assistance program, clinical support and self-guided tools.
Mental Health Platform for Seniors Launches with $115M in Financing
Author Health helps seniors with serious mental illness and substance use disorders by working with Medicare Advantage plans. The company launched Wednesday with $115 million in financing, and announced that Humana is its first payer partner.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware Taps Wellinks for Virtual COPD Care
Starting July 1, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware members will be able to access Wellinks’ virtual services for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). These services include pulmonary rehabilitation, coaching and tracking through connected devices and an app.
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The Vibe at Vive 2023: Season Health
Josh Hix, Season Health CEO, discussed how his food-as-medicine company helps people with chronic conditions. He also talked about how Season Health secured funding from venture capital investors such as Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC.
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The Vibe at Vive: Homethrive
Dave Jacobs, co-founder of Homethrive, shared details of how his company supports caregivers.
