Curative Insurance Company on Tuesday announced a partnership with weight management company Wondr Health to expand weight and metabolic health support for its members.
Curative offers employer-sponsored health insurance. Through the new partnership with Wondr Health, Curative’s members now have access to a digital weight management program that combines behavioral science, nutrition services, personalized care and coaching. The company can also prescribe GLP-1s when appropriate.
These services are available with no out-of-pocket costs to members who meet the program’s clinical criteria. Members qualify for a $0 deductible and $0 copays for in-network care by completing a preventive health visit within 120 days of their coverage taking effect.
Where Will AI Deployment Benefit Payers the Most?
We are taking a look at how health insurers are using AI, defining success, and managing cybersecurity risks. Give us your opinions by completing our brief, anonymous survey.
Curative chose Wondr as a partner because its “built around lasting behavior change, not managing weight-related disease after it’s already taken hold,” said Curative CEO Fred Turner.
“Their evidence-based program fits naturally with Curative’s prevention-first model by giving members practical support they can use in everyday life. It’s not just another line item on the benefits menu but a real partnership,” Turner told MedCity News.
A peer-reviewed published study on Wondr found that 50.7% of participants with metabolic syndrome reversed risk factors within 20 weeks, and many also showed meaningful improvements in energy, physical health, emotional well-being and overall quality of life.
This partnership comes as about 40% of U.S. adults are living with obesity. The condition also carries a significant economic burden. According to the Obesity Medicine Association, overweight and obesity-related conditions account for an estimated $480 billion in direct healthcare costs in the U.S.
The Healthcare Payments Industry Faces a Perception Challenge
Healthcare payments are no longer about transactions. It’s about controlling the revenue cycle. And increasingly, that control is not sitting with ISOs.
“Obesity and related chronic conditions are some of the biggest drivers of healthcare spend,” said Scott Paddock, CEO of Wondr Health. “Too much of that spend goes toward managing disease instead of upstream prevention. Curative is an innovative healthcare services provider that, like Wondr Health, believes better health begins with proactive, evidence-based care. Both organizations are committed to addressing health risks before they develop or progress. Together, we can help more people improve their health while reducing the overall cost of care for employers.”
Turner echoed these comments.
“In the traditional model, healthcare spending kicks in only after a condition has already become a problem, and it’s backwards,” he said. “If you remove the cost barrier and get people to effective care early, they use it, and the outcomes follow. That’s the logic behind giving members no-copay, no-deductible access to programs like Wondr, and it’s how we help employers turn healthcare costs from unpredictable into something they can actually plan around.”
Photo: mikdam, Getty Images