Many payers are incorporating Fitbit technology into healthcare plans as part of both prevention and clinical treatment programs, hoping that it can help members become healthier and more active, according to Ben Sommers, MBA, vice president of North America Business Development at Fitbit Wellness.
Many payers are incorporating Fitbit technology into healthcare plans as part of both prevention and clinical treatment programs, hoping that it can help members become healthier and more active, according to Ben Sommers, MBA, vice president of North America Business Development at Fitbit Wellness.
Transcript (slightly modified)
What work is Fitbit Group Health doing with payers? Have you run into any barriers?
So, no barriers that we’ve seen today. What’s been really interesting though is, there’s so many possibilities in terms of the clinical programs where Fitbit technology can be a part of an effective treatment program. For example, I was just speaking with a leading health system just yesterday, where their hypothesis is that when it comes to heart health, especially with the advancing features within Fitbit products where we have heart rate monitoring, although we’re not an FDA medically-approved device, can we still be a useful part of a program as it relates to heart health?
One other interesting development that we’re focused on, is there an opportunity for a very large swath of the population, for an entire member base within a health plan, to actually receive Fitbit as part of their plan experience. So maybe you’re not necessarily battling a clinical condition, but just by being a member of that plan, because there’s such high value with helping folks with data, inspiration and guidance to lead a more active, healthy life. If they have this included as part of that plan, there’s actually going to be benefits both for them as the health plan and then certainly in a self-insured environment for the employer.
Government agencies have created an online portal for the public to report potential anticompetitive practices in health care; there are changes coming to the “boxed warning” section for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies (CAR T) to highlight T-cell blood cancer risk; questions about the safety of obesity medications during pregnancy have arisen in women on them who previously struggled with fertility issues.
Read More
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Gene, Light Therapy Combo Shows Promise Against Prostate Cancer Cells in Proof-of-Concept Study
April 18th 2024In their preclinical model, the researchers found efficacy both in vitro and in vivo by using CRISPR-Cas9 to mimic porphyria and combining the technology with light therapy.
Read More
Making Giant Strides in Maternity Health Through Baby Steps
April 9th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are kicking off a special month-long podcast series with our strategic alliance partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our first episode, which is all about the Baby Steps Maternity Program and its mission to support women throughout every step of their pregnancy journey.
Listen
Many Patients With Psoriasis in Clinical Trials Experience Nocebo Effects, Study Finds
April 18th 2024Half of patients exposed to placebo in clinical trials experienced adverse events (AEs), which may be partially explainable by nocebo effects, according to a recent review and meta-analysis.
Read More