Fitbit Takes Next Step into Care Management

In a move long anticipated, wearable device maker Fitbit is expanding its services to include care management and personal coaching for those with chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

The Fitbit Premium service, slated to begin in October, will allow users to share data with their doctors, culled from the data the device collects such as heart rate, sleep, weight changes and analyses of activity. Consumers will pay $10 per month or $80 per year for the service. A personal coaching product is slated to be offered in 2020, with a pilot program to begin later this year.

With strong brand awareness and an estimated 27 million active users, Fitbit believes it can compete as effectively as Livongo, Omada, Onduo and others in the digital wellness space that are engaging both consumers and employers. Fitbit’s chief operating officer for health solutions told FierceHealthcare that the company now works with 100 health plans, including Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield and 1,700 employers. The business is on track to hit $100 million in revenue this year.