Comment by jsheard
10 months ago
Even if that's true for the actual pharmas, how are insurance companies like UHC innovating? They're just middlemen.
10 months ago
Even if that's true for the actual pharmas, how are insurance companies like UHC innovating? They're just middlemen.
They prevent unnecessary treatments! /s
I'm not sure about UHC specifically, but insurance companies do innovate. Some insurers have invested pretty heavily in biotech and wearables, and they're also a big driver behind telehealth/remote health monitoring tech. We can cynically say that they're just in it because they want to reduce costs – and that's probably true – but it'd be simplistic to say investing to reduce costs is purely selfish.
> they're also a big driver behind telehealth/remote health monitoring tech
Until COVID, insurers in my area wouldn't cover telehealth at all. They opposed it tooth and nail.
> biotech and wearables
Tracking and data harvesting, excellent!
Or encouraging healthier lifestyles by blending technology with behavioral health incentives.
Or both.