Strategic acquisition aims to bolster Vitality's comprehensive health and wellness offerings by integrating WellSpark's advanced coaching solutions.
CHICAGO – November 19, 2024 – Vitality, the global behavior change platform committed to making people healthier, has today announced the strategic acquisition of WellSpark, a leading coaching provider, from EmblemHealth.
Through the acquisition, Vitality will integrate WellSpark’s coaching solutions, offering Vitality’s employer and health plan clients access to a range of new services and additional tools to support their health and wellbeing. WellSpark’s health coaches have a proven track record of helping individuals overcome health barriers, including long-term conditions.
Vitality pioneered the category of incentivized healthy behavior change globally, and today leverages a massive dataset and AI, to provide highly personalized recommendations and rewards to encourage impactful and sustainable behavior change across its members globally. Vitality helps individuals to make healthier decisions during and outside care-seeking moments across the care continuum.
The WellSpark acquisition aligns with the business’s strategic direction of embedding more digital and innovative services within its offering, further benefitting clients and members.
WellSpark’s innovative coaching experience emphasizes human connection and leverages science and technology. It will improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs for Vitality’s clients, employees and members. As part of the acquisition, Vitality will also partner with EmblemHealth to offer its members a full range of health and wellbeing solutions.
“Our acquisition of WellSpark is a fantastic opportunity to introduce an innovative coaching solution that meets our clients' diverse needs," said Maia Surmava, CEO of Vitality U.S. "WellSpark’s proven ability to make a clinical difference, even for hard-to-reach individuals, aligns perfectly with Vitality’s commitment to achieving better health for all our clients. We’re excited about how this acquisition opens up new opportunities to collaborate with EmblemHealth, offering their members our full range of health and wellbeing solutions. Our sophisticated digital tools complement WellSpark’s highly credentialed coaches, enabling us to deliver personalized, data-driven insights and support that empower individuals to achieve their health goals more effectively.”
Karen Ignagni, EmblemHealth CEO, said, “WellSpark has brought innovative coaching, personal support, and wellness engagement solutions to members in 30 states. We are proud to have launched WellSpark within our enterprise. The announcement today will see Vitality further grow the business and make a difference to many more people's lives.”
EmblemHealth is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health insurers, with more than three million members and an 80+-year legacy of serving New York’s communities. The company offers a full range of commercial and government-sponsored health plans to employers, individuals, and families, as well as convenient community resources. As a market leader in value-based care, EmblemHealth partners with top providers and hospitals to deliver quality, affordable care. For more information, visit emblemhealth.com.
Guided by a core purpose of making people healthier, Vitality is the leader in improving health to unlock outcomes that matter. By blending industry-leading smart tech, data, AI, incentives, and behavioral science, we inspire healthy changes in individuals and organizations. As one of the largest health and wellbeing companies in the world, Vitality brings a dynamic and diverse perspective through successful partnerships with the most forward-thinking insurers and employers. More than 35 million people in 41 markets globally engage in the Vitality program. For more information, visit vitalitygroup.com.
About Vitality Global
Vitality is part of Discovery Limited, a worldwide insurer and investment manager impacting more than 40 million members in over 40 markets worldwide, across Europe, the United States, Australia, Africa, Canada and China.
Vitality pioneered the ‘shared-value’ insurance model, a unique approach based on the scientifically proven principles of behavioural economics. Through this model, Vitality helps members take a more active role in managing their own wellness, encouraging them to develop healthy long-term habits that are good for them, good for the company and good for society. The effect is positive for all stakeholders – members benefit from better health, financial rewards and additional incentives; employers’ benefit from healthier, more productive, and more engaged employees; and Vitality benefits from a healthier membership base.