Humana invests $100 million in telehealth start-up Heal

Health insurance provider Humana is partnering with telehealth start-up Heal, which includes a $100 million investment that will be used to help the five-year-old company expand into new markets, such as Chicago, Charlotte and Houston, the companies announced Wednesday.

The five year-old company that provides an Uber-like doctors-on-call service, along with telemedicine, is riding a wave of burgeoning demand due to Covid-19 concerns. In May, it launched Heal Teletherapy for those suffering from anxiety, fear, depression and other mental health issues during the crisis.

The back-to-the-future model is simple: Doctor services are delivered to a patient’s home on demand through an app. Users input their personal medical details and credit card information and request a doctor in their local area.

Heal, ranked No. 13 on the 2020 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, currently operates in seven states — California, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Virginia, Washington and Maryland — as well as Washington, D.C.

The partnership also allows the two companies to deliver primary care services to Humana members, many of whom are older or living with multiple chronic conditions, in the comfort of their own home. Heal provides services to Medicare-eligible patients, group commercial and those with individual coverage. Added flexibility and the option for expanded home-based care is something that Humana said has been in high demand from members throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The partnership with Heal is part of Humana’s efforts to build a broader set of offerings across the spectrum of home-based care, with high-quality, value-based primary care being a key foundational element,” said Susan Diamond, Humana’s segment president of home business, in a statement. “We continue to see high levels of customer satisfaction and improved health outcomes when care is delivered in the home. Our goal is to make the health-care experience easier, more personalized and caring for the people we serve — and is the hallmark of how Humana delivers human care.”