GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Priority Health, a nonprofit health plan with 1.3 million members, has announced a new partnership with Virta Health to help employers support their workers with weight management and diabetes care.
Virta Health, based in Denver, Colorado, is a digital health company that offers personalized treatment plans for chronic conditions. It works with employers and health plans, providing nutrition support and prescribing medications when needed. Each care plan is tailored to the individual’s medical history, goals, and risk factors.
Under this partnership, Priority Health’s employer clients can now choose from three programs offered by Virta Health:
Sustainable Weight Loss: Focuses on weight loss using nutrition therapy
Sustainable Weight Loss with Responsible Prescribing: Includes GLP-1 medication prescribed by a Virta clinician along with nutrition and lifestyle coaching
Diabetes Reversal: Uses nutrition therapy to help patients reach remission from type 2 diabetes
All three programs are available to self-funded employer groups. Fully-funded clients can access the first two.
Alicia Coronas, vice president of employer solutions product and marketing at Priority Health, said Virta Health was chosen because of its proven success in treating chronic metabolic diseases. “Their approach matches our mission to support member health and empowerment,” she said. “Virta’s personalized nutrition plans, behavioral coaching, and medication oversight offer a full solution for weight and diabetes management.”
National data highlights the need for this kind of support. The American Diabetes Association reported that in 2021, 38.4 million Americans — 11.6% of the population — had diabetes. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases also noted that nearly one in three U.S. adults are overweight, and two in five are obese.
GLP-1 medications have become a key treatment for obesity and diabetes. However, they are expensive. Sami Inkinen, co-founder and CEO of Virta Health, told MedCity News that Virta aims to manage these costs by using a nutrition-first approach and careful prescribing practices. The company has over 10 years of experience in delivering virtual care.
Virta Health is not alone in this space. Other companies offering digital weight and diabetes support include Livongo, Vida Health, and Omada Health. However, a recent report from the Peterson Health Technology Institute said that Virta Health showed the most promising results for diabetes care.
Coronas added that the ultimate goal of this partnership is to improve members’ long-term health while helping employers save money.
This partnership follows Priority Health’s recent collaboration with Ayble Health to provide virtual care for gastrointestinal conditions.
