The Promise and Peril of Subscription-Based Healthcare

It’s undeniable that the healthcare landscape has been changing rapidly, and one conspicuous participant in this metamorphosis is the rise of subscription-based healthcare services. If you’ve been looking for roads less taken in dealing with depression or losing weight, or perhaps a convenient way to avail medicines that regulate cholesterol or treat erectile dysfunction, these online services could be your perfect ally. Far from their budding days of targeting niche issues like hair loss, acne, or birth control, health-focused firms like Hims & Hers, Ro, and Lemonaid Health are now offering a plethora of services that cover a broad spectrum of health concerns.

Let’s take Hims, for instance. It recently unveiled its weight-loss program, priced at $79 per month sans insurance. Meanwhile, Lemonaid Health stepped into the domain of treating seasonal affective disorder last winter, charging $95 a month. Not to be outdone, Ro has expanded its services from birth control to facilitate regular deliveries of ovulation tests and prenatal vitamins to patients trying to conceive.

This revolutionary healthcare approach essentially breaks down two huge barriers in the United States healthcare system: access to healthcare services and prescription refills. It’s not all roses, though, as it does prompt questions about the quality of care delivered. However, these online providers vehemently argue that they screen their patients methodically and refer them elsewhere if essential care cannot be provided through their platform. Justifying its growth, Hims’ spokesperson Khobi Brooklyn insisted, “The growth we’ve seen on our platform is a testament to how people are looking to get the care they need.”

Hims, a publicly traded company, has well over 1.4 million subscribers and anticipates achieving annual sales of at least $1.2 billion by 2025. While these figures might seem insignificant compared to mammoth healthcare corporations like CVS Health that generate revenues of over $300 billion annually, the projected growth of Hims is impressive.

It’s worth noting that subscription-based healthcare isn’t a new concept. For years, it’s been implemented in primary care where patients pay monthly fees for improved access to doctors. Bigwigs like Amazon have also joined the bandwagon, offering virtual and in-person care via subscription plans.

The popularity of subscription-based online healthcare soared post-COVID-19, as Americans embraced telemedicine. This novel development piqued investor interest, leading to a surge of funding for companies providing subscription healthcare.

Primary care doctor visits, followed by recurring prescriptions for a fixed monthly fee, have been the common model practiced by these healthcare services. Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, a Harvard researcher who focuses on consumer healthcare, believes the simplicity of this model is appealing. He equates it to paying for Netflix, providing the care you need, and then moving on with life.

Despite the tremendous potential, these companies aren’t immune to criticism. Mental healthcare quality, particularly, seems to be an area of concern. As Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman points out, therapy can be as effective as prescriptions for some conditions, emphasizing that mental healthcare should encompass more than just drugs. Another concern arises around the management of regularly prescribed medications. A patient’s diagnosis can evolve, so it’s crucial to monitor for potential drug-induced issues like elevated blood pressure.

Despite this, companies like Lemonaid Health assert that they routinely follow up with patients to monitor for side effects and update medical histories. Hims’ spokesperson, Brooklyn, adds that the company’s mental healthcare program includes psychiatry and talk therapy, and it encourages patients to seek in-person assistance when needed.

However, Dr. Mehrotra expresses a broader concern: He fears that overall patient health might take a backseat when these companies focus solely on providing solutions to specific conditions.