On-demand digital primary care service 98point6 is expanding into behavioral health support.
The new integrated behavioral health service provides employers, health plans and health systems access to a single-stop virtual care solution that ensures their members and employees are fully supported on the path to mental health, the company said.
More than half of U.S. adults (53%) have struggled with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, a July 2020 KFF tracking poll found.
Behavioral health care through 98point6 is provided through a multidisciplinary team of board-certified physicians, behavioral health coaches and licensed therapists. With primary care at the center, the 98point6 approach to behavioral health inspires the unengaged to seek care sooner and removes the need for multiple point solutions. As a result, members are provided with—and guided to—the appropriate level of care, including medication management, at their convenience, the company said.
"Taking the first step toward mental well-being can be the hardest, but delaying care can lead to negative health outcomes and higher costs down the road," said Sara Smucker Barnwell, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and clinical director for behavioral health at 98point6. "By integrating behavioral health with 24/7 access to primary care physicians, we're removing the barriers to receiving mental health treatment, enabling earlier intervention that guides patients to the right level of treatment by the right provider."
The Seattle-based startup developed an on-demand digital primary care service that delivers personalized consultation, diagnosis and treatment to patients. The text-based platform now has 300 commercial contracts with 4.8 million contracted members with prominent brands including Banner|Aetna, Boeing, Circle K, Red Bull North America, Sam's Club, Teamsters Western Region and the New Jersey Health Care Fund.
The digital health company banked $118 million in a series E funding round back in October, betting big on the continued demand for virtual care. The latest financing brings the company's total equity funding to $247 million across six funding rounds to date.
98point6 began rolling out its primary care with behavioral health solution to existing customers this month.
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Through on-demand access to the trusted primary care relationship, 98point6 physicians are well-positioned to identify mental health issues further upstream before they become more burdensome and costly to patients and providers, according to the company.
98point6's behavioral health services include evidence-based psychotherapy to help diagnose and manage mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, behavioral health coaching and self-paced digital programs.
Spurred by the demand for mental health services during the pandemic, digital health companies have quickly scaled their platforms to add more services and reach more patients.
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Last spring, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, wellness brand Hims & Hers fast-tracked an expansion of its telehealth services to offer access to primary care and also rolled out online mental health services, starting with free support groups.
Lyra Health, a company that provides mental health benefits for large employers, has more than doubled its customer base in 2020 and extended its services to support more than 2 million members. It also scored $187 million in new financing as it looks to expand its services and bring more technology to its platform.
Modern Health also closed a $74 million series D investment round. This latest investment brings the company’s total funding to over $170 million in less than two years and raises its valuation to $1.17 billion, according to the company.