Bicycle Health

Market position

The company positions itself as the largest U.S. medical group delivering MOUD via telemedicine and as the nation's leading telehealth OUD treatment program. It was named a TIME100 Most Influential Company in 2022 and says it was the first provider of its kind to publish peer-reviewed research on its care model.

Bicycle Health cites peer-reviewed and independently conducted research on its model, including published data showing 80% 90-day retention among insured patients versus a stated 44% industry average and a urine drug screen falsification rate under 3% versus a stated 5-18% industry average, a study in BMJ Innovations, and 2022 qualitative research by RAND Corporation and Harvard University funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine. It also emphasizes clinicians who focus solely on OUD, same-day prescribing and LegitScript certification.

Technology

A secure, HIPAA-compliant mobile app and virtual care platform supporting video visits, chat and text with the care team, access to medical records, electronic prescription routing to pharmacies, at-home lab and urine drug screening, and remote patient monitoring and care coordination.

Go-to-market

Direct-to-patient acquisition through its website and enrollment calls (available 24/7) combined with clinician referral tools, and payer and partner channels. In March 2022 it announced partnerships with Molina Healthcare and McLaren Health Plans in Michigan, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan in Arizona, Health First Colorado and Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas, which the company said could reach more than 8 million patients. It has also collaborated with Tele911, Marvin and Bamboo Health, and joined ATA Action, the advocacy body launched by the American Telemedicine Association, as a council member in January 2022.

Adults with opioid use disorder seeking confidential, remote treatment, including those new to buprenorphine/naloxone therapy (about 30% of patients per the company). Secondary audiences are referring clinicians and institutional partners such as health plans and provider organizations.

Geography

United States only. The company lists availability in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming, and states clinicians licensed across 32 states. Operations began with a clinic in Redwood City, California; Wikipedia lists the headquarters as Boston and area served as 25 states.

History

Bicycle Health began in 2017 with a single physical clinic in Redwood City, California. During the COVID-19 pandemic it shifted to virtual care, launching its telehealth platform in 2020. A seed round led by SignalFire with angel investors was reported in May 2020, and in December 2020 press coverage noted planned availability in 25 states. In 2022 the company signed multiple payer partnerships, was named a TIME100 Most Influential Company, raised a $50 million Series B in June, and received an additional $5 million from the venture arm of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City (Cobalt Ventures) in September. As of October 2022 it reported 18,000 patients served across 29 states; company materials later cite more than 50,000 patients across 32 states.

Risks & controversies

Company materials carry required Suboxone safety disclosures, noting that buprenorphine can cause serious and life-threatening breathing problems, particularly when combined with other opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol or other central nervous system depressants, and listing other possible side effects including physical dependence, abuse and liver problems. Patient reviews are predominantly positive, though at least one published review describes a last-minute provider change and a missed appointment.