All Posts By

Kevin Roche

The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry through Roche Consulting, LLC. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements and may be reached at khroche@healthy-skeptic.com.

Oct 31 2019

Ooooh, disruption, how cool is that, Sana Benefits reels in $6.3 million in new capital for its software that will fix the "stone age" health insurance industry.  It is targeting medium and small employer plans.  All it will end up doing is adding cost and complexity.

https://venturebeat.com/2019/10/29/sana-benefits-gets-6-3m-to-disrupt-stone-age-healthcare-insurance-industry/
Oct 31 2019

Scary stuff, boys and girls, investing in the hype of the moment.  A company called Socially Determined has garnered $7.3 million in financing for its product that focuses on analyzing and measuring the social determinants of health.  Not a ghost of a chance that this succeeds.  It will be a zombie company, like a vampire sucking more funds from investors.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/socially-determined-raises-over-7-3-million-in-series-a-funding-300946065.html
Oct 31 2019

Workday Ventures tries to get in a league of its own, as it makes a significant investment in League, which offers software to help employers manage health benefits.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/league-joins-workday-software-partner-program-to-help-transform-the-health-and-benefits-industry-300947243.html
Oct 31 2019

The Optum division of UnitedHealth Group has apparently acquired Vivify Health, which conducts remote patient monitoring for a variety of conditions.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/30/unitedhealthcare-acquires-vivify-health-patient-monitoring-start-up.html
Oct 31 2019

Contract research vendor Icon has acquired Symphony Clinical Services, which provides clinical trial-related services in a patient's home.

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/cro/icon-snaps-up-at-home-patient-services-company?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTnpFME9UTTVPREF4T0RsaiIsInQiOiJnTnE3Z0pqd1dQVjJaeGxSbEVmazY2RWVhM2dwM3RUR1liVVdKNWhmZXVMbFIzQlM3elNFS29icUt2WXZBajFucGQ0dFdQUFcyd0krMTI2N21WdWhZdHhwYzZ6U205OWtqd3lYMWJ1Y2src3dKT2s2WEFnM0psamZibFwvNjg0aEkifQ%3D%3D&mrkid=635530
Oct 30 2019

GPO and software vendor Premier has purchased MedPricer, which offers software and services to help health systems with purchased services.

https://www.hpnonline.com/sourcing-logistics/products-purchased-services/article/21112393/premier-inc-acquires-medpricer
Oct 30 2019

Broad-based health management company Medecision decides to buy GSI Health, which offers software to help providers with value-based payment arrangements, particularly for Medicaid business.

https://liberatehealth.medecision.com/medecision-acquires-health-delivery-system-transformation-pioneer-gsi-health/
Oct 25 2019

Amazon adds to its health capabilities by purchasing Health Navigator, which offers online symptom checking and triage tools designed to help steer patients to appropriate treatment paths.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/23/amazon-acquires-digital-health-start-up-health-navigator.html
Oct 24 2019

Australia-based firm MedAdvisor, which provides an app to help patients manage the medications, raises $11.5 million in new financing, led by HMS Holdings.

https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/medadvisor-raises-115m-hms-led-placement-investment
Oct 24 2019

Tempest storms Wall Street for a fresh $10 million in capital, supporting its alcohol abuse treatment services.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tempest-secures-10-million-in-series-a-financing-to-make-recovery-from-alcohol-use-disorder-accessible-and-aspirational-300936157.html