Is the US Healthcare System Broken?: A Problem and An Innovator

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The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

A minor surgery to fix a broken leg in the U.S. can cost up to $35,000. Follow this with the finding that only 4 in 10 Americans can afford a $1,000 bill from savings, and you just start to uncover the tip of the iceberg. 

Scour a little deeper, and the depressing statistics pile up. According to a West Health and Gallup Inc. study, a staggering 46 million people in America cannot afford basic healthcare services. 

Studies show that people on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder were the first to feel the effects of the pandemic and that black residents and people with no high school degrees were more likely to contract and die from the COVID-19 virus. 

While the pandemic accelerated the divide between the upper and middle classes’ accessibility to telehealthcare services, the healthcare industry flourished during this time.

The $4.2 trillion industry showed particular strength in the stock market with several healthcare contenders capturing exceptional market capitalization growth. Moderna Inc. MRNA, Pfizer Inc. PFE, CVS Health Corp. CVS, and Johnson & Johnson JNJ are just a few names that flourished in these dire times.

But many say that the system needs significant change. Better accessibility, cheaper options, and platforms that give an equal opportunity to receive needed care are common requests.

This is what American International Holdings AMIH states it is trying to build with its LifeGuru, EqipMD, and ZipDoctor products. 

Who Is American International Holdings (AIH)? 

AIH is a holding company that acquires and builds companies in the health and wellness spaces. Jacob Cohen, the company’s president, and CEO, was an early believer in the telehealthcare space and a strong proponent of its ability to make healthcare more accessible and affordable to millions of Americans.

One of AIH’s telehealthcare acquisitions, EpiqMD, aims to improve the quality of life for the “76 million Americans who do not have insurance or are underinsured.” Heeding its slogan that “everyone deserves an Epiq life,” the platform provides a host of features meant to make telehealthcare more accessible. These include telemedicine primary care, discount prescription fulfillment, 24/7 access to bilingual support and a host of other services.

Another one of AIH’s ventures, ZipDoctor, curates a platform that offers a virtual connection to board-certified physicians and unlimited access to licensed mental health and behavioral counselors. For a low monthly subscription, the company ships your prescriptions to the nearest pharmacy with cost savings of up to 80%.

Finally, AIH’s telehealthcare takes on a global scale with its product LifeGuru, a platform linking people with life, executive and career coaches from all over the world. Life coaching is the 2nd-fastest-growing industry with a global market size that hit $15 billion in 2019.

While AIH is not alone in identifying the value in telehealthcare, few are taking the diversification approach that the company has. Cohens told Benzinga in an exclusive interview that the company is on a constant lookout for strategic acquisitions in key telehealthcare spaces, and these encompass a wide range of niches. Pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices — really anything that may further the world’s accessibility to affordable healthcare and wellness — is on the radar.

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The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.