100Plus launches remote patient monitoring platform to support health of senior citizens in Medicare plans during global pandemic and beyond

Today, 100Plus, the fastest-growing Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) platform for doctors and their patients, launched its platform with three new RPM devices, enabling seniors to stay connected to their healthcare providers while remaining safely at home. The 100Plus Blood Pressure Cuff, Digital Weight Scale, and Blood Glucose Monitor are all free to Medicare patients, and practices using the 100Plus platform see approximately $720 per patient, per year in revenue with the program.

• 35M U.S. seniors have a chronic condition and 8 in 10 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have been adults ages 65 and up
• Amid stay-at-home orders and guidance to pause non-essential care during the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors’ chronic conditions have been left unmanaged and they are at-risk
• 100Plus enables healthcare providers to remotely monitor seniors in Medicare plans at no cost within days of enrollment in the program, alleviating stress on health systems
• Remote Patient Monitoring provides an alternative revenue stream for medical practices who have seen a 35 percent decline in patient volume; many are turning to virtual care

100Plus helps physicians monitor patients and provides data that informs clinical decisions throughout their course of care. Senior patients have dramatically higher mortality rates for COVID-19 – currently at 8 in 10 deaths from the virus – and a greater number of comorbid chronic conditions (i.e., heart disease, diabetes, obesity) compared to the general population. For senior citizens, going to a medical office or clinic is both logistically challenging and heightens their risk of infection.

“COVID-19 makes the doctors’ office a potential infectious environment for the 80 percent of seniors with chronic conditions and Remote Patient Monitoring is now the front line of care for senior patients,” said Ryan Howard, CEO and Founder of 100Plus. “100Plus’ platform is a critical element to enable telemedicine by giving doctors proactive insights into their patients who are at risk for catastrophic events.”

COVID-19: Addressing a growing need to serve seniors at home
COVID-19 is changing how doctors, nurses, and the medical community can safely treat patients. The American Medical Association is recommending that doctors eliminate non-essential visits. Virtual care, including telemedicine and RPM, are now at the forefront of effective methods for maintaining social distancing protocols while providing necessary care to an at-risk senior population. 100Plus is now providing expedited shipping of all three remote monitoring devices directly to seniors’ homes.

Seniors enrolled in 100Plus receive a medical device that is fully configured and ready to use out of the box — no smartphone, app, Bluetooth, or WiFi required. For more information about the RPM platform and devices, visit www.100plus.com.

Solving for chronic disease in an aging population
The critical need for RPM goes far beyond the COVID-19 outbreak; by 2020, the U.S. senior population is on track to reach 20 percent of the total national population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Additionally, based on figures from the National Council on Aging, 80 percent of U.S. seniors have at least one chronic disease; chronic conditions are costly and account for 75 percent of dollars our nation spends on health care.

Recognizing the needs of this growing population, Medicare plans recently started to reimburse for RPM devices and services, as well as paying healthcare providers to review data streamed from these devices. These changes support a shift from episodic to ongoing care for senior patients, especially those with chronic conditions, and reducing the cost of care. 100Plus is at the forefront of this nascent $30 billion market and is unlocking the value of RPM for both healthcare providers and patients.

Doctors and other healthcare providers can earn approximately $720 additional in revenue per patient in per year revenue by utilizing the 100Plus RPM platform to improve their patients’ long-term care. The company has been working with select medical practices in the early stages of Medicare’s new program and is now opening its platform to all U.S. practitioners with Medicare patients.

“With seniors living with chronic conditions acutely feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote patient monitoring and telemedicine are a lifeline so they can get the care they need, and the 100Plus devices are free to the patient,” said Dr. Barry Liberoni, a Texas-based internist. “For practices hit hard by reduced visits, the platform helps us drive better outcomes and is a new revenue stream – it’s a win-win.”