<div>
  <p>
  </p>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        As initially reported by the Wall Street Journal, health plan giants Cigna and Humana are exploring the option of a possible merger in a deal that would combine Cigna's USD 83 billion entity with Humana's USD 62 billion entity. The report mentions that the financial terms of the merger could be finalized by the end of 2023.
      </p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>
        Once news of the possible merger broke, shares of both companies saw their values fall during intraday trading on the same day. Cigna&rsquo;s share value fell by 8%, while Humana&rsquo;s share value fell by 5.5%. The companies had previously explored a merger once before in 2015, but the deal was not finalized.
      </p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>
        While possible, this deal could possibly face antitrust scrutiny given the size of the rumored deal. In 2017, Cigna attempted to merge with Elevance Health (then operating as Anthem), only to be blocked by federal courts. Similarly, Humana Health previously attempted to merge with Aetna in 2017 in a deal that was again blocked by federal courts. Both deals were struck down due to their potential to foster an anti-competitive market.&nbsp;&nbsp;
      </p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>
        <b>Analyst Quicktake: </b>
        In the wake of the emergence of multiple for-profit health system players, providers have been under pressure to seek alternative measures to remain competitive. As such, some major players have looked to M&amp;As; CVS&rsquo; acquisition of Aetna in 2018 and Cigna&rsquo;s merger with Express Scripts in the same year are two such examples. Cigna and Humana&rsquo;s rumored deal would help both players compete with other giants, such as UnitedHealth Group and Elevance Health, by giving entities like Cigna&rsquo;s Express Scripts a wider market reach.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <p>
  </p>
</div>


<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/cigna-humana-in-talks-for-blockbuster-merger-c5c7f1b0">
      Wall Street Journal
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/wsj-cigna-humana-exploring-insurance-mega-merger">
      Fierce Healthcare
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/cigna-and-humana-shares-tumble-after-report-of-possible-merger-8408076">
      Investopedia
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://hitconsultant.net/2023/11/29/cigna-and-humana-merger-talks-could-face-antitrust-scrutiny/">
      HIT Consultant
    </a>
    &nbsp; 
  </p>
</div>


Telehealth

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

<div>
 
<p>According to the Wall Street Journal, health plan giants Cigna and Humana are exploring a possible merger. The merger would combine Cigna's entity worth USD 83 billion with Humana's entity worth USD 62 billion. The financial terms of the merger could be finalized by the end of 2023.</p>
<p>After the news broke, both companies saw a decline in their share values during intraday trading. Cigna's shares fell by 8% and Humana's shares fell by 5.5%. The companies previously attempted a merger in 2015, but it did not go through.</p>
<p>This potential merger may face antitrust scrutiny due to its size. In the past, Cigna's attempted merger with Elevance Health and Humana's attempted merger with Aetna were both blocked by federal courts for fostering an anti-competitive market.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst Quicktake: </b> In the wake of the emergence of multiple for-profit health system players, providers have been under pressure to seek alternative measures to remain competitive. As such, some major players have looked to M&amp;As; CVS’ acquisition of Aetna in 2018 and Cigna’s merger with Express Scripts in the same year are two such examples. Cigna and Humana’s rumored deal would help both players compete with other giants, such as UnitedHealth Group and Elevance Health, by giving entities like Cigna’s Express Scripts a wider market reach.</p>

Cigna and Humana in talks to merge in deal valued at USD 140 billion

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
<p>Remote patient monitoring and telemedicine provider TytoCare has partnered with St. Luke's Health System in Idaho to offer its virtual care services. Starting in 2024, St. Luke's members and staff will have access to TytoCare's on-demand virtual visits without copays. Employees will also be able to use Tyto's Home Smart Clinic, which includes connected devices like an otoscope, tongue depressor, thermometer, and smart stethoscope cleared by the FDA, to conduct remote exams. This collaboration aims to enhance healthcare access and convenience for St. Luke's members and employees in Idaho.</p>
</div>

TytoCare partners with St. Luke's Health System to provide virtual care services

DISRUPTOR_PRESENT

<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>Amazon's One Medical has partnered with Hackensack Meridian Health to enhance healthcare in New Jersey. The partnership allows residents access to tech-enabled primary care services through the health network.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>Additionally, One Medical has partnered with the Health Transformation Alliance (HTA) to expand care options for employers. This collaboration will provide primary care services to around five million employees from 67 HTA-affiliated companies including Marriott, American Express, and Coca-Cola.</p>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake: </b> This announcement follows a string of partnership announcements from One Medical in 2023, including a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23828"> partnership </a> with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and a tie-in to <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18665"> Rightway Health’s </a> network. The company appears to be growing its market presence via partnerships, and given the rate at which it has been securing these partnerships, it seems that One Medical is likely to secure additional partnerships in the near future to bolster this strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

One Medical partners with Hackensack Meridian Health and the Health Transformation Alliance to improve healthcare access

<div>
 
 <ul>
  <li><p>KeyCare, a virtual care technology provider powered by the Epic platform, has partnered with Lee Health to offer virtual urgent care services.</p></li>
  <li><p>Through this partnership, Lee Health patients can access virtual care 24/7 nationwide via the MyChart patient portal. The integration of the Epic platform allows virtual care providers to access patients' health records during virtual visits, enabling better decision-making.</p></li>
 </ul>
 
</div>

KeyCare partners with Lee Health to deliver integrated virtual urgent care via Epic platform

<div>
<ul>
  <li>
    <p>
      Sitka and AristaMD have merged to form a single healthcare video consultation provider. The merger aims to expand AristaMD's scope of services for primary care providers.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      The merged entity will combine Sitka's virtual specialty providers with AristaMD's referral nurse navigation and access to referral management services. This simplifies access to healthcare services for Medicare, Medicaid, and other health plan members across the US.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      Kelsey Mellard, founder and CEO of Sitka, will become the new President of AristaMD. Dr. Julia Jezmir, former chief medical officer for Sitka, will be the new chief medical officer for AristaMD.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      The merged entity has secured $16.5 million in Series C funding to expand cost-effective and timely specialty care.
    </p>
  </li>
</ul>
</div>

AristaMD and Sitka merge; combined entity raises USD 16.5 million to expand access to speciality care

<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and One Medical have partnered to improve healthcare delivery in Seattle. One Medical members in the Seattle area gain access to over 2,000 specialist healthcare providers in Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's network. The partnership aims to enhance patient care by improving coordination and continuity between primary and specialty care, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div> <p><b>Analyst Quicktake:</b> This partnership follows One Medical’s <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23718"> recent announcement </a> that it had begun offering discounted membership fees for Amazon Prime members. This announcement also marks the first time One Medical’s members will be able to consult with specialists through the company’s platform, as previously, the platform only supported primary care-related consultations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and One Medical partner for primary and specialty care

The HTML code presents a div containing an unordered list (ul) with two list items (li). Each list item contains a paragraph (p) tag. The first paragraph discusses One Medical, a direct primary care service provider, offering a discounted membership fee of either USD 9/month or USD 99/year for Amazon Prime members. This fee is 50% lower than the regular annual fee of USD 199. 

The second paragraph mentions that Prime members can add their family members with each additional membership costing USD 6/month or USD 66/year. This allows for potential savings of USD 133 compared to the regular fee. <p><b>Analyst QuickTake: </b> After One Medical's acquisition in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16567"> February 2023 </a> , Amazon has taken measures to streamline healthcare management for Prime members, aiming to provide cost-effective solutions and a comprehensive approach to their well-being. The introduction of the new membership benefit during its Prime Day deals marks the first time the ecommerce giant has extended discounted healthcare as part of its popular annual savings event.&nbsp;</p>

One Medical offers discounted membership fee for Amazon Prime members

<div>
 
 <ul>
  <li><p>Monitoring and measuring tools company XRHealth, in collaboration with Nord-Space Aps and HTC Vive, has developed a VR headset, Vive Focus 3, geared for space missions to address astronauts' mental health needs. This headset is equipped to function effectively in the microgravity environment of space.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Vive Focus 3 headset works on a unique methodology called "virtual assistance mental balance," specifically designed for the behavioral health challenges astronauts encounter while they are in space. The headset makes use of a simulator mode and a specialized tracking scheme via the controllers that ensure effective operation in low gravity conditions. This is claimed to be particularly useful for astronauts who perform lengthy and isolating operations in space for months.</p></li>
 </ul>
 
</div>

XRHealth collaborates with Nord-Space Aps and HTC Vive to launch VR headset geared for space missions

<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>Hims &amp; Hers Health has launched MedMatch, an AI-based technology that provides personalized healthcare recommendations.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>MedMatch uses machine learning to analyze data and give accurate healthcare suggestions.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>It is currently in beta testing and will be initially available for patients seeking help with anxiety and depression.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <p>MedMatch utilizes anonymized historical customer data to suggest treatment options in real-time.</p>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div>

Hims & Hers launches health personalization technology

<div>
<ul>
<li><p>Videra Health has introduced Ava, an AI-based digital healthcare companion, designed to improve patient engagement and care delivery.</p></li>
<li><p>Ava leverages machine learning and large language models to personalize interactions with patients, offering real-time interaction, early health change detection, and seamless integration into care management workflows.</p></li>
</ul>
</div>

All Updates