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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">Health Tech | Fierce Healthcare</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/intuition-robotics-secures-medicaid-coverage-social-ai-robot-elliq-washington-state" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Intuition Robotics' ElliQ social robot expands to Medicaid in WA</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Apr 2nd 2026, 13:45</div>
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<p><div class="col content" morss_own_score="6.0" morss_score="68.5">
<p>Intuition Robotics has been making inroads to expand access to its AI social robot ElliQ among older senior populations through partnerships with Medicare Advantage plans, Managed Care Organizations and state governments.</p>
<p>The company is now growing its footprint with Medicaid participants in Washington state. Washington authorized a statewide reimbursement code for the company's ElliQ companion robot, making it possible for eligible beneficiaries to receive the technology as part of their in-home care services. ElliQ is now available as a smart care device to eligible Washington Medicaid recipients enrolled in the Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports programs of Community First Choice or Roads to Community Living, the company announced in March.</p>
<p>Dor Skuler, Intuition Robotics CEO and co-founder, says it marks the first time nationwide that a social AI robot is fully reimbursed through Medicaid. Washington also is the first state to open eligibility to suitable Medicaid participants with no cap. </p>
<p>"It's the first time that any healthcare organization is fully reimbursing an AI-native product in the U.S., and it's the first time they are fully reimbursing a talking robot companion," Skuler said.</p>
<p>ElliQ is a voice-operated, AI-enabled care companion robot that looks like a small table lamp with an eyeless head that lights up and swivels. The device promotes independent living, expand client options and support self-determination that complement existing in-home care services.</p>
<p>ElliQ is designed to be proactive and empathetic--she initiates conversations, offers reminders, suggests personalized wellness activities and engages in two-way dialogue. The robot does daily check-ins, supports health and wellness, provides social engagement and access to services. The use of this interactive technology can help reduce the strain on the shortage of in-person caregivers and help promote independence for those who prefer to live at home versus in a nursing home. </p>
<p>Intuition Robotics designed ElliQ to use AI to support daily tasks or health-related activities such as medication and appointment reminders and help adults with physical disabilities or adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities stay connected through activities and communication with family. </p>
<p>The company initially worked with the Olympic Area Agency on Aging in Washington state on a pilot program for individuals in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties. During that pilot, participants engaged with ElliQ an average of 60 times per day while 100% found ElliQ useful in improving wellness and 95% of participants report reduced loneliness. In addition, 85% of participants noted that ElliQ is easy to use and 43% of participants noted feeling safer, less lonely and less anxious, due to ElliQ's presence and her connectivity features to family, friends and services.</p>
<p>ElliQ pilot program participants also averaged 145 health-related activities and 130 wellness-related activities each year, demonstrating sustained engagement in practices like exercise, mindfulness, and social connection.</p>
<p>The success of that pilot led Washington state leadership to work on creating new codes to make ElliQ fully reimbursable and available to the Community First Choice population, Skuler said.</p>
<p>Over the past year, Intuition Robotics has added new capabilities, such as a caregiver app, and rolled out advanced AI and large language models to drive more engagement. The ElliQ health agent offers a suite of AI insights such as continuous Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) estimate scoring, personalized check-ins and follow-ups, fall-risk assessments, behavioral change detection, and raising a "check-engine-light" alert that signals to clinicians when, based on the older adults change in condition, a clinical assessment is advisable. </p>
<p>The ElliQ health agent also drives fulfillment of assessments and screeners such as HRA (health risk assessments), PHQ2, GAD 2 and helps identify and close care gaps related to CAHPS and HEDIS. This allows ElliQ to leverage engagement to support health plans and providers in both quality measures and preventive care workflows, according to the company.</p>
<p>While Intuition Robotics has been expanding its partnerships with Managed Care Organizations and state governments, the company has ambitions to secure more broad insurance coverage, particularly Medicaid and Medicare.</p>
<p>"We had to figure out, how do we change the story from just all the good that ElliQ does for the older adults to the good that it does for a health plan or a payer. That's measured in ROI. It's measured on specific populations, as opposed to quality of life, health level and health span of the individual, which is how we were measuring it before. That was a big part of what we did on the go-to-market side, and that means a lot of features and a lot of capabilities," Skuler said.</p>
<p>The Medicaid reimbursement in Washington state sets a foundation for improved access to the ElliQ device while also providing financial ROI for Medicaid programs, he asserted.</p>
<p>"Any solution that can keep the person at home and allow them to retain their independence will improve the quality of life of that individual and reduce the cost for the state, even if it ends up just giving one more year of independence and not necessarily avoiding nursing homes in general, but increasing that health span and increasing that independent span, then it's worthwhile," he said.</p>
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<td><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/telehealth/johns-hopkins-medicine-american-telemedicine-association-launch-cross-state-telehealth" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Johns Hopkins, ATA launch new interstate telehealth initiative</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Apr 2nd 2026, 13:45</div>
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<p><div class="col content" morss_own_score="4.481751824817518" morss_score="32.41062554830535">
<p>Johns Hopkins Medicine and the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) <a href="https://www.americantelemed.org/press-releases/the-american-telemedicine-association-and-johns-hopkins-medicine-launch-initiative-to-overcome-barriers-to-interstate-telehealth-access/">announced</a> Wednesday a joint three-year initiative to push legislative action toward reducing state licensure roadblocks to expand telehealth access nationwide. </p>
<p>The collaboration is dubbed the <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/telemedicine/state-changes">Licensure Innovation for Telehealth Transformation (LIFTT) Initiative.</a> Its goal is to increase understanding around the need for improved telehealth access among the public and legislators It will focus on “pragmatic federal solutions” to address gaps, according to the announcement, including care continuity and rare expertise. </p>
<p>“LIFTT will mobilize supporters, inform policymakers, and engage health systems to enhance our national strategy for interstate telehealth on behalf of patients nationwide,” said Helen Hughes, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Office of Telemedicine, in the announcement. “The ATA has been a driving force in promoting telehealth at both the federal and state levels. We are thrilled to partner to transform telehealth through targeted federal licensure solutions.”</p>
<p>There has been “<a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/telemedicine/state-changes">incremental progress</a>” over the last decade to promote telehealth access, but “enacting change still requires state-by-state adoption,” Johns Hopkins Telemedicine website <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/telemedicine/state-changes">says</a>.</p>
<p>Some states created temporary rules to improve telehealth access during the COVID-19 pandemic when the need for virtual care services increased, the <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/telemedicine/state-changes">website</a> notes. However, many have since reverted to guidelines that ultimately complicate cross-state care. Patients most affected by such regulations include those with rare diseases, cancer patients, transplant recipients and those who live in rural areas. </p>
<p>This new initiative seeks to create federal solutions that reinforce state-based regulations. </p>
<p>“State-specific licensure rules restrict patients from accessing essential healthcare services, especially specialized care, and create unnecessary obstacles to cross-state collaboration,” said Kyle Zebley, ATA CEO, in the announcement. “Federal oversight can establish a cohesive strategy for telehealth access nationwide, while respecting local governance structures.” </p>
<p>Zebley later added the organization is planning a “complimentary effort” to the initiative, with details to come “in the near future.” </p>
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<td><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/family-building-platform-sunfish-launches-ai-powered-egg-freezing" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Family building platform Sunfish launches AI-fueled egg freezing</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Apr 2nd 2026, 13:45</div>
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<p><div class="col content" morss_own_score="5.681978798586572" morss_score="44.2153121319199">
<p>Sunfish, a family-building software platform, is launching what it says is the first AI-powered egg-freezing success program in the fertility space.</p>
<p>The goal of the program is to solve the uncertainty that comes with fertility preservation, from a lack of financial transparency to outcomes that are unknown and not guaranteed. Based on a patient’s biodata, Sunfish’s proprietary algorithm predicts the optimal amount of matured eggs that should be frozen as well as the cost of the cycle. </p>
<p>“Sunfish is really focused on helping people to navigate the full fertility journey,” Angela Rastegar, co-founder and CEO of Sunfish, told Fierce Healthcare in an advanced interview. “Patients shouldn’t have to be an unpaid project manager for their own family planning.” </p>
<p>Sunfish also takes on risk. If a patient does not reach the number of retrieved eggs within the guaranteed budget, Sunfish will cover the cost of an additional cycle. One year of storage is included, with discounts for long-term storage options and lowest-price match guarantees on medication.</p>
<p>Sunfish works with IVF clinics, egg banks, fertility pharmacies, sperm banks and surrogacy agencies. All the clinics have been vetted, and members must be seen at those clinics to take advantage of Sunfish’s program. Its AI was built on cross-clinic historical datasets with over 2 million data points, such as biomarkers of egg and sperm donors and outcomes data. It was back-tested against 20,000 clinical cycles and, in thousands of randomized simulations, received 97% accuracy. </p>
<p>Rastegar was previously director of Northstar Fertility, which operates several surrogacy agency brands. She was frustrated that patients “weren’t getting logistical support, guidance, clear data and financial support.” She recalled how some patients had to sell their engagement rings to afford treatment or postpone buying a home. </p>
<img src="https://qtxasset.com/quartz/qcloud5/styles/thumbnail_200xauto/s3/media/image/Angela%20Checkered%20Background%20%281%29.jpg?VersionId=JUZVWuTx5sIukBHBoyrdw705HDM7..py&itok=wXEytiMo">
<p>Rastegar herself has gone through multiple rounds of egg freezing. “That was a really stressful process, not just financially, but what really surprised me was that I logistically, emotionally, became this full-time project manager trying to navigate my treatments,” she said. </p>
<p>Patients get a Sunfish dashboard with medically backed guidance, plus a human care coordinator and financial support. Members can also access prenatal vitamins, post-retrieval recovery, a nurse for injection support or mental health coaching. Sunfish offers 100% eligibility, regardless of age, diagnosis or insurance status. The package starts at $8,100, which includes all the clinical care components, though any insurance benefits may apply to components like lab work or medications.</p>
<p>The startup was founded in 2022 and has been running a successful IVF program since 2024. Its patients see a nearly 71% success rate in achieving pregnancy and graduating from the program to an OBGYN. The national average transfer success rate was about 54% in 2023, according to Rastegar's calculations of <a href="https://www.sartcorsonline.com/rptcsr_publicmultyear.aspx">publicly reported data</a> confirmed by Fierce Healthcare. The IVF package starts at $18,500, and the company also offers 0% APR loans for patients who need financing options. A single cycle of IVF in the U.S. <a href="https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/striking-costs-infertility-point-importance-ivf-access-and-affordability">can range</a> from $15,000 to $20,000, or more.</p>
<p>“We need to stop thinking about fertility treatments and fertility preservation as a perk or only something that certain people can afford. It really is critical infrastructure for our society,” Rastegar said.</p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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