NantHealth, a provider/payer collaboration IT vendor, and Sesame, a direct-to-patient telemedicine company, are collaborating on a program designed to give providers tools to offer patients direct access to virtual care while, the companies say, increasing practice revenue by reducing administrative costs.

With just under half of the adult U.S. population uninsured or underinsured, Sesame and NantHealth are working to educate providers on direct-to-patient and virtual care, with the aim of enabling the providers to scale their practices faster.

A big telehealth marketplace

Sesame is a large and fast-growing telehealth marketplace. Hundreds of thousands of consumers use Sesame to search for and purchase health services – including doctor visits, dermatology and imaging, the company said.

The company has raised more than $23 million in funding to scale the model of direct-pay healthcare. Sesame's direct-pay solution allows uninsured or underinsured patients – as well as those with high-deductible health plans – to find affordable quality care. It allows providers to set clear and transparent prices, receive payment up-front, list hours that are most convenient for them, and connect with patients virtually or in person, the company contended.

NantHealth's NaviNet payer/provider collaboration platform is designed to allow providers to exchange vital administrative, financial and clinical information in real time. Working with Sesame, providers registered on the NaviNet platform have access to a solution to provide access to quality care at affordable rates, NantHealth said.

As the U.S. healthcare system has adapted to its present challenges, direct-to-patient care has accelerated and will continue to be a critical solution moving forward for both patients and providers, the companies said.

Growing provider practices

"Given that millions of Americans have lost their employer-provided insurance in 2020, it's more important than ever to expand options for affordable healthcare," said David Goldhill, CEO and cofounder of Sesame. "Our collaboration, in service of NaviNet providers and their patients, gives providers turnkey solutions to grow their practices and increase revenue by 25% per visit."

It also allows for providers' patients to gain access to care for everything from a video doctor visit to an MRI or CT scan at affordable prices, he added.

Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bsiwicki@himss.org
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