Precedence Well being, a nonprofit well being plan with 1.3 million members, introduced a partnership with Virta Well being on Tuesday to supply employers help for weight administration and diabetes.
Denver, Colorado-based Virta Well being is a digital well being firm that works with payers and employers and presents vitamin help and drugs prescribing if needed. It creates personalised care plans based mostly on the affected person’s medical historical past, private targets and danger elements.
By means of the brand new partnership, Precedence Well being’s employer shoppers have entry to a few options from Virta Well being based mostly on their wants and budgets:
Sustainable Weight Loss, which helps members reduce weight by vitamin remedy
Sustainable Weight Loss With Accountable Prescribing, which presents GLP-1s prescribed by a Virta clinician alongside vitamin and life-style help
Diabetes Reversal, which leverages vitamin remedy to assist members obtain sort 2 diabetes remission
All three of those options can be found to Precedence Well being’s self-funded employer shoppers, whereas fully-funded shoppers have entry to the primary two packages.
Precedence Well being selected Virta Well being as a accomplice “as a result of they’re leaders in addressing continual metabolic situations, and their method aligns completely with our dedication to the well-being and empowerment of our members,” mentioned Alicia Coronas, vp of employer options product and advertising at Precedence Well being, in an e-mail. “Their personalised vitamin plans, behavioral help, and ongoing medicine supervision provide a complete technique to deal with weight administration and kind 2 diabetes remission.”
Knowledge reveals that this sort of help is required. In 2021, 38.4 million People, or 11.6% of the inhabitants, had diabetes, in response to the American Diabetes Affiliation. As well as, almost one in three adults are chubby, whereas two in 5 adults have weight problems, in response to the Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Illnesses.
GLP-1s are thought of an vital device to handle this rising prevalence of weight problems and diabetes, however come at a excessive value. Virta Well being Co-Founder and CEO Sami Inkinen beforehand informed MedCity Information that the corporate controls GLP-1 prices by being an “reasonably priced nutrition-first various and off-ramp, whereas our suppliers can be accountable prescribers of those medicine to manage irresponsible use given our 10+ years of expertise doing so by way of telemedicine.”
Virta Well being isn’t the one firm providing weight reduction and diabetes help, nonetheless. Different corporations embrace Livongo, Vida Well being and Omada Well being. That mentioned, a current Peterson Well being Know-how Institute report discovered that Virta Well being was the one firm that delivered promising outcomes for diabetes.
In working with Virta Well being, Precedence in the end goals “to enhance metabolic well being in a method that helps long-term wellness for members and price financial savings for employers,” Coronas mentioned.
Precedence Well being’s partnership with Virta Well being comes shortly after the insurer introduced one other vendor partnership earlier this month with Ayble Well being for digital gastrointestinal care.
Picture: mikdam, Getty Pictures
