Each year, the HLTH conference provides healthcare leaders with the opportunity to gather and share ideas. The event also gives companies the opportunity to announce news, often about new products, partnerships and business plans.
Below are seven notable announcements made during this year’s HLTH conference in Las Vegas.
Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs Company to Partner with TrumpRx
During a session on stage at HLTH, Mark Cuban revealed an upcoming partnership between his company Cost Plus Drugs and TrumpRx, a federal program designed to bring discounted prescription drugs directly to consumers.
TrumpRx, which will launch early next year, will serve as a referral platform, directing people to websites like Cost Plus Drugs. Through this partnership, Cost Plus Drugs will provide its pricing data to TrumpRx.
Cuban said he hopes this collaboration will disrupt the traditional PBM model, which he has long criticized for contributing to exorbitant drug prices in the country.
Optum launches claims management platform
Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, introduced an AI-powered real-time claims management platform called Optum Real. The system is designed to reduce friction between providers and payers during the claims submission and reimbursement processes.
The goal of the platform is to allow providers to instantly verify details about patients’ benefits and coverage, thereby reducing the guesswork and delays that providers often face when trying to receive payment.
Cedar launches new tools to help people pay for care
Healthcare payments startup Cedar introduced Cedar Cover, a digital platform aimed at helping patients access Medicaid coverage and financial assistance. The platform, which integrates with hospital billing workflows, helps identify patients’ potential Medicaid eligibility, assists with their enrollment, manages their renewals, and connects them with medication co-pay support.
Given recent Medicaid cuts under the One Big Beautiful Bill, Cedar’s new system is intended to mitigate harm to patients and providers by lowering uncompensated care costs. Early adopters of Cedar Cover include Novant Health, Baystate Health and The Iowa Clinic.
Oscar Health creates ACA plan focused on menopause
Oscar Health introduced a new Affordable Care Act plan called HelloMeno. The New York-based payer developed the plan in collaboration with Elektra Health, a virtual menopause care provider.
Designed for women going through menopause, HelloMeno offers primary care, gynecological and behavioral health visits with no copay, as well as labs, hormone therapy, insomnia medications and bone density scans at no cost.
AMA presents new center for digital health and artificial intelligence
The American Medical Association launched a new center aimed at giving doctors a stronger voice in shaping how digital health tools and artificial intelligence technologies are implemented in clinical care.
The center seeks to help shape policies and regulations around digital health technology, as well as find better ways to integrate these tools into clinical workflows. Other goals include providing education and training to physicians on how to use AI tools and fostering collaboration across industries, including technology companies, payers, governments and researchers.
Knownwell keeps $25 million
Knownwell closed a $25 million funding round led by CVS Health Ventures. The startup offers metabolic health services, primary care, nutritional counseling, and behavioral health care, and also prescribes GLP-1 when deemed appropriate. It provides virtual care nationwide, as well as in-person care at its clinics in the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Dallas areas.
With its new capital, the startup will focus on expanding care, adding additional clinics and growing its virtual care team.
Highmark Health partners with Noom
Highmark Health, the Pittsburgh-based parent company of payer Highmark and health system Allegheny Health Network, has partnered with digital weight loss company Noom. They will offer Noom’s behavioral health and weight management programs to nearly 2 million eligible Highmark members starting next year.
The program is designed to leverage artificial intelligence tools and behavioral science techniques, such as food logging, body scanning technologies, and peer-to-peer support communities, to help members develop healthy habits rather than simply treating illnesses. The benefit will be available at no additional cost to eligible Highmark members.
Photo: HLTH