While usage of telehealth services has surged during the COVID-19 epidemic, there are some times when health professionals need to be around in person to conduct diagnostics tests. Axle Health, a company currently enrolled in the latest cohort from the Y Combinator accelerator, can help those telehealth companies bridge that gap.
“In terms of the professionals that we send in-home, they’re phlebotomists, MAs, LVNs and RNs as well,” said Axle co-founder Connor Hailey.
In a sad reflection of the times, most of the calls the company’s getting are COVID-19 related, Hailey said.
And while the company currently doesn’t accept insurance, many of the companies on the platform choose a price they want to charge their patients and then seek reimbursement from insurers, according to Hailey.
“There are very few patients that are paying cash. Our services in the home are what would come out of pocket,” Hailey said. Those fees vary by the licensure level of the visiting healthcare worker.
The company’s largest partner, Sameday Health, is charging $250 for an at-home PCR test and that’s self-pay, not covered by insurance, according to Hailey. Hailey said Sameday plans on offering an insurance-covered, at-home PCR test soon which would come with a $100 house-call fee.
Axle Health launched its service at the end of January and is seeking to expand its treatment options to more than just COVID-19 testing, but for now, it’s simply responding to market demand.
Hailey launched the business after spending a few years working at ZocDoc and then spending some time at Uber. What motivates Hailey and company co-founder Adam Stansell is providing similar concierge services at lower costs for a broader base of patients, Hailey said.
“The rich have access to in-home care; we can make it economical enough so that we can bring it to everyone,” he said.