Sesame Care

New York-based Sesame Care is a direct-pay healthcare platform that connects patients with doctors for in-person and virtual care services. The platform allows healthcare providers to connect with patients online or in-person, set transparent pricing, receive upfront payments, and list convenient appointment times. The platform also compares different provider costs.

Founded in 2019, Sesame offers services covering over 40 specialties such as prescription refills, women’s care, urgent care, mental health, and dental. As of April 2021, the company had enrolled more than 1,000 healthcare providers across all 50 states and Sesame’s business grew 25x YoY. On the same date, the company announced plans to launch a prescription medication service.

Key customers and partnerships

In September 2023, Sesame partnered with Costco to offer Costco members discounted access to virtual and in-person healthcare services. Through the partnership, Costco members gained access to virtual primary care, mental health therapy, and health checkups at discounted prices through Sesame's network of providers. The service allowed individuals without health insurance or with high-cost deductibles to access Sesame’s healthcare options. Costco members would be charged USD 29 per virtual primary care visit, USD 79 per online mental health therapy visit, USD 72 per health check-up, and 10% off on all of Sesame’s services.

The company then expanded this partnership in April 2024 to offer Costco members a new weight loss treatment program. The program provided consultations with qualified healthcare professionals specializing in weight management. Professionals initially carry out a virtual consultation, in which they will discuss the member's medical history, weight goals, and treatment plan and, if necessary, prescribe weight loss medications. The program charged Costco members USD 179 and non-Costco members USD 195 for three months of consultations, including ongoing communication access for nutritional guidance with the chosen provider.

Funding and financials

In June 2022, the company raised USD 27 million in a Series B funding round led by GV. The funds were earmarked to accelerate the company’s growth and complete development of its membership product, moving it from the beta stage to general availability.