Payer

By  Jonah Comstock 09:01 am September 2, 2014
The one big piece of information Aetna hasn't shared about the shutdown of its CarePass health data platform is the very one everyone wants to know: Why? Over the last week, there's been plenty of speculation about a number of possible explanations. Three years ago, after a similar high-profile shuttering, MobiHealthNews wrote a popular post called "10 Reasons why Google Health failed," where we...
By  Brian Dolan 09:23 am August 26, 2014
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has added a mobile and online offering, called OneHealth, to bolster its mental health and behavioral health programs. OneHealth offers members 24/7 structured peer support, education and tools to aide in the recovery from substance abuse, according to the health insurance company. The program uses social media and real-time tracking to monitor emotional...
By  Jonah Comstock 08:26 am August 26, 2014
As Apple's official launch of iOS 8 -- and with it Apple's Health app and HealthKit developer toolkit, HealthKit is looking more and more like a broad partner play. It was already known that Apple is working with EHR vendors and hospitals -- Epic and the Mayo Clinic were announced with HealthKit at WWDC, and rumors have since surfaced that the company is working with Allscripts, as well as Johns...
By  Brian Dolan 07:39 am August 25, 2014
Last week MobiHealthNews broke the news that Aetna had decided to shutdown its high-profile, health tracking and data aggregation platform CarePass by the end of the year. After we reported on two CarePass leaders recent departures from the company, Aetna confirmed its long-rumored plans. For many the shutdown of CarePass was no surprise at all, while others were shocked. Still other commenters...
By  Jonah Comstock 07:27 am August 21, 2014
Microsoft is launching a major mobile health pilot along with mobile service provider TracFone Wireless and the Health Choice Network, a Miami-based company that manages a 17-state health IT network for community health centers. In the pilot, 100 Medicaid patients with Type 1 and 2 diabetes will be equipped with smartphones containing both health management tools and traditional smartphone...
By  Jonah Comstock 01:13 pm August 20, 2014
After MobiHealthNews spotted and reported on the departure of two Aetna executives on the CarePass team, Aetna has confirmed exclusively to MobiHealthNews that it will be phasing out the platform, and that the previously announced employer pilots will not be going forward. "At this time, we have decided to make no further investments in the CarePass platform," an Aetna spokesperson told...
By  Jonah Comstock 09:16 am August 20, 2014
At least two Aetna executives involved with the CarePass platform have quietly left the company this summer, making it increasingly apparent that CarePass is either undergoing a major leadership change or, more likely, being quietly shelved. According to her LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, Martha Wofford, former Vice President and Head of Consumer Products, left the company in June. Wofford's...
By  Jonah Comstock 06:03 am August 18, 2014
Welkin Health's iOS app. Digital health accelerator Rock Health announced this week that it has added a half dozen new startups, along with three new corporate partners that will support portfolio companies through mentorship and other forms of guidance. Rock Health companies receive a $100,000 in investment and a variety of other perks during their stay in the program, including support from...
By  Jonah Comstock 11:06 am August 13, 2014
Global professional services firm Towers Watson says telemedicine could potentially save US employers $6 billion a year. “While this analysis highlights a maximum potential savings, even a significantly lower level of use could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in savings,” Dr. Allan Khoury, a senior consultant at Towers Watson, said in a statement. “Achieving these savings requires a...
By  Aditi Pai 05:50 am August 6, 2014
Health insurance provider Humana launched a new health app for users of its wellness rewards program, HumanaVitality. Humana members whose plans include HumanaVitality can use the app to keep track of their health and fitness goals. In addition to tracking health and fitness metrics, select members can use the app, available on iOS and Android devices, to take health assessments, challenge...