As part of our commitment to expand access to revolutionary health insights and information, Oura has partnered with Essence Healthcare, known for its comprehensive Medicare Advantage health plans, to redefine health management for seniors by integrating advanced wearable technology into their daily lives at no additional cost.
Empowering Seniors with Oura
Studies show that wearable tech is becoming increasingly important for older adults, particularly in how it supports remote post-acute and rehabilitative care for those in rural or underserved areas.
“The over-65 community is often overlooked when it comes to wearable technology and tech solutions that can advance care,” said Jason Oberfest, Vice President of Healthcare at Oura. “However, this particular community can benefit greatly from wearable technology. Oura Members over the age of 65 are among our most engaged, and we’re eager to serve this population more broadly. With tools like Oura Ring, people can better understand their health on an ongoing basis and participate in their care in new ways because they are armed with more information and context.”
Beginning in 2025, qualifying members of Essence Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans will be eligible to receive a complimentary Oura Ring and Oura Membership. Participating members will be able to opt-in to integrate select data from their Oura Ring (including sleep data, resting heart rate (RHR), heart rate variability (HRV), and SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) into their existing population health management system via an API integration. As the first and only Medicare Advantage plan to partner with a smart ring device, this initiative will offer seniors an unparalleled opportunity to proactively engage with their health.
This partnership is a natural next step in Oura’s healthcare evolution, setting the stage for future partnerships with payers and insurers and redefining standards for personalized care.
The Power of Personalized Health Insights
Oura Ring is more than just a piece of technology – it is a personal health companion. There’s often a misconception that wearables are best suited for elite athletes or biohackers. However, the insights generated from continuous tracking technology benefit everyone, from busy parents trying to manage their health to someone recovering from illness or injury.
Personalized insights from Oura Ring can support both patients and providers in better understanding how sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), SpO2 (blood oxygen sensing), and much more impact overall health and outcomes. Personalized insights from continuous wear of Oura Ring can help provide deeper insights and additional context for both individuals and clinicians. Through the Oura App, patients can tap into their real-time data and long-term health learnings to better understand their personal health journey, arming them with the insights they need to have informed conversations with their providers. On the clinician side, providers can glean powerful insights that a patient may not be aware of or easily able to articulate, in addition to monitoring symptoms in-between visits.
Essence Healthcare and Oura are driven by a shared vision to empower individuals to take charge of their health. “This partnership represents a significant step in our ongoing effort to enhance the healthcare experience for our members, using cutting-edge technology to provide valuable insights into their overall wellbeing,” explains Jordan Reigel, President of Essence Healthcare.
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Supporting Healthcare at Scale
As this partnership evolves, it is poised to deliver meaningful insights into the integration of wearable technology within traditional healthcare. Both Essence and Oura are eager to see how this collaboration will enhance health outcomes and improve the quality of life for Medicare Advantage members. By providing members with tools to actively manage and improve their health, Essence and Oura are setting a new benchmark for the industry and reshaping the perception of wellness later in life.
Providing clinicians and members a shared view of Oura data over time will bring more precision to traditional healthcare settings, enabling patients and clinicians to make more informed decisions together. This partnership is a big step forward in expanding access to life-changing health data and insights. Oura is enthusiastic about working closely with Essence to not only improve health outcomes but also drive innovation across the greater industry.
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About Essence Healthcare
Essence Healthcare provides over 60,000 people with Medicare comprehensive and affordable health insurance that focuses on wellness, care coordination and personal service. Essence’s Medicare Advantage plans offer complete hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage and include additional benefits not covered under the Original Medicare program. Powered by the nation’s leading population health services and technology of Lumeris, Essence is earning national recognition for its commitment to service and quality, including being consistently highly rated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Essence HMO plans (H2610 contract) received a 5-out-of-5-star Overall Plan Rating for 2022-2024 and a 4.5-star rating for 2025. Essence PPO plans (H6200 contract) achieved a 4-star Overall Plan Rating for 2025. Plans under Essence’s H3189 and H4620 contracts don’t have enough data to receive a Star rating.* Essence was also named a Best Medicare Advantage Plan for Missouri and Illinois for 2021-2025 by U.S. News & World Report. In 2025 Essence’s Medicare Advantage plans will be available in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. To learn more about Essence Healthcare, please visit EssenceHealthcare.com.
*Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Star ratings may vary by contract or market.