Industry News
The healthtech landscape is moving fast – new reimbursement models are opening doors for digital chronic disease tools, AI-enabled companies are capturing a commanding share of venture capital, and behavioral health platforms built on human connection are attracting serious institutional interest.
We track these shifts so our clients don’t have to. Below is our curated reading list, regularly selected from around the industry based on our client portfolio and what it means to the founders building and the investors funding the next generation of healthcare innovation.
Payers Sign Pledge to Join CMMI ACCESS Model – Expanding Reach to 165 Million Americans
Fierce Healthcare | February 16, 2026
14 major payers – including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, CVS Health, Humana, and Centene – have signed pledges to expand the ACCESS Model beyond Medicare into Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and commercial markets. This dramatically expands the total addressable market for digital chronic disease tools. For any IronStreet client with a payer go-to-market strategy, this is the reimbursement signal they’ve been waiting for.
Digital Health Funding Hit $14.2B in 2025, With AI Companies Taking the Lion’s Share
Fierce Healthcare | January 12, 2026
AI-enabled companies raised at an 83% premium over non-AI peers in 2025. For IronStreet clients building AI-enabled products – ComKardia, Rivvi, Agilix Health, and Scene Health – the investor appetite is real, but the bar for differentiation is rising. The window favors companies that can demonstrate clinical outcomes and commercial traction now.
Talkspace Acquires Wisdo Health, an AI-Powered Platform for Social Health and Peer Support
MedCity News | October 8, 2025
A major behavioral health company acquiring a peer support platform is direct market validation for the model Kindly Human and PeopleOne Health are built on. It signals that payers, health plans, and larger platforms are actively integrating peer support into the care continuum – and that strategic partnership and acquisition exit paths are live and real.
‘Gym Membership Syndrome’ – Why Adherence Is the Real Battleground for Health Plans in 2026
Fierce Healthcare | January 16, 2026
Expanding access to digital health tools is no longer the differentiator – sustained patient engagement is. This op-ed argues that the metric defining winners in chronic disease management is not activation, but adherence months later. Directly relevant to Glytec, Scene Health, and Rivvi as they build commercial narratives and demonstrate value to health plans and hospital systems.
The CGM Adoption Gap Is Worse Than You Think
MedCity News | December 27, 2025
Series B deal count dropped to roughly half the annual average in 2025, and the median time between Series A and B has stretched to 27 months. For IronStreet clients approaching their Series B, companies breaking through are doing so on the strength of a clear milestone: FDA clearance, a major distribution deal, or proven revenue growth.
Digital Health Funding Hits $3.5B in Q3; Series B Deals Cut in Half, Path to Scale Less Predictable
Fierce Healthcare | October 7, 2025
Series B deal count dropped to roughly half the annual average in 2025, and the median time between Series A and B has stretched to 27 months. For IronStreet clients approaching their Series B, companies breaking through are doing so on the strength of a clear milestone: FDA clearance, a major distribution deal, or proven revenue growth.
Business Group on Health: Employers to Maintain Well-Being Benefits Despite Cost Challenges
MedCity News | May 27, 2025
A survey of 131 large employers representing 11.2 million workers found that 73% plan to maintain wellbeing programs in 2025, with 20% expanding. Three-quarters of employers now offer social connectedness and peer coaching programs. For Kindly Human and PeopleOne Health, this data directly validates the employer buyer market and provides a benchmark for sales conversations around budget retention and program expansion.
2026 Outlook: Hybrid Care Companies Poised for Growth Driven by Economic and Policy Tailwinds
Fierce Healthcare | January 6, 2026
Macro tailwinds – Medicaid restructuring, rising healthcare costs, rural health investment, and AI adoption – are creating momentum for digital-first care models in 2026. For IronStreet clients building in chronic disease management, behavioral health, and care delivery, this article illustrates the policy and economic environment shaping investor interest and payer conversations alike.
CMMI Debuts ACCESS Model to Spur Use of Tech in Chronic Disease Treatment
Fierce Healthcare | December 12, 2025
The CMS Innovation Center launched a landmark 10-year payment model offering stable, outcome-aligned reimbursement for technology treating diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety. This is the single most important policy development for IronStreet clients in chronic disease management – including Glytec and Scene Health – in years. Applications open on a rolling basis through 2033.
American Heart Association Invests in Auxira Health to Bring New Approach to Cardiology Practices
Fierce Healthcare | July 29, 2025
The AHA’s venture arm investing in a cardiology-focused digital health startup signals institutional conviction in technology-enabled cardiovascular care. For ComKardia – building AI-powered coronary artery disease diagnosis tools with a planned 510(k) submission in 2026 – this article validates the market thesis and illustrates the strategic partnership pathways that can accelerate commercialization and clinical credibility.