RECENT PRESS
February 21, 2023
San Mateo, Calif. and Phoenix, Ariz., - February 21, 2023 — Today, MORE Health®, a global digital health company specializing in expert second medical opinions, announces a partnership with Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, the nation’s trusted treatment leader, to increase access to the top trauma, mental health, addiction, and recovery experts.A pillar in the treatment industry, Meadows Behavioral Healthcare’s history of healing stretches back 45+ years. Today, they provide evidence-based treatment for those struggling with emotional trauma, drug and alcohol addiction, anxiety, depression, sex addiction, eating disorders, sexual trauma, intimacy issues, and a wide range of co-occurring mental health conditions. This happens through various levels of care, including inpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), partial hospitalization (PHP), virtual IOP, workshops, and case management.According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults experience mental illness each year, and over 20 million Americans have a substance use disorder. Globally, mental illness is one of the leading causes of poor health and disability.With this unique partnership, MORE Health clients, benefit members, and patients worldwide can access expert medical opinions and virtual outpatient treatment programs from nationally and internationally recognized trauma, mental health, addiction, and recovery experts at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare. In addition, employees of Meadows Behavioral Health will also have access to the Expert Medical Opinion employee benefit when faced with a serious illness or diagnosis.Through its prestigious network of tertiary and quaternary academic medical centers and esteemed physician specialists, MORE Health delivers a sophisticated version of the medical second opinion for its patients, called a collaborative diagnosis (or Co-Diagnosis®). The company provides this Co-Diagnosis® service through its online platform, that’s full-featured, intuitive, and GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant. Specialists in MORE Health’s provider network team up with the patient’s treating physicians in their home state or country to deliver a diagnosis and medical treatment plan efficiently and effectively. An expert remote second opinion saves individuals time and provides them with the patient advocacy they need to make the best healthcare decisions.“Adding Meadows Behavioral Healthcare to the MORE Health network is critical to improving our patient’s access to expert Behavioral Health and Addiction Services,” said Ted Bukowski, MORE Health’s EVP and Chief Revenue Officer. “This partnership enhances our offering, allowing us to help patients diagnosed with a serious illness who also need behavioral health consults. It’s also a bonus for our employer clients because we can further help them improve productivity, absenteeism, and overall health and well-being in their workforce.”  “This partnership is a unique opportunity to collaborate with other medical specialties to increase access to behavioral healthcare services and bring healing and recovery to those that need it most,” said Dr. Jon Caldwell, DO, PhD, Meadows Behavioral Healthcare’s Chief Medical Officer. “We are excited to bring our expertise in trauma, mental health, and substance use disorders to the amazing work MORE Health is already doing.” MBH’s treatment approach is rooted in more than 45 years of clinical experience. The Meadows Model, which is grounded in Pia Mellody’s pioneering work while being dynamic and responsive to new scientific developments, is the foundation of their treatment approach. Through their world-class senior fellow discipline, program design, and clinical training, Meadows Behavioral Healthcare’s treatment centers are considered best in class. Their clinical expertise, paired with a compassionate, caring treatment approach, has established a strong foundation of trust among patients, referring healthcare partners, and the local communities served. About Meadows Behavioral HealthcareMeadows Behavioral Healthcare (MBH) is a network of specialized behavioral healthcare programs, individualized addiction recovery centers, and acute psychiatric care centers located throughout the United States. An industry leader, MBH provides evidence-based treatment for people struggling with emotional trauma, drug and alcohol addiction, anxiety, depression, sex addiction, eating disorders, women’s intimacy disorders, psychiatric disorders, and co-occurring conditions. Their full continuum of programs and services deliver personalized treatment plans to people from all walks of life, meeting them at their point of need to help achieve long-term recovery. For more information on all of Meadows Behavioral Healthcare’s treatment services, from inpatient to outpatient and virtual levels of care, visit meadowsbh.com.About MORE Health®MORE Health is a global digital health company known for giving individuals access to the best medical minds when facing a serious illness. Recognized as a leader in cross-border telemedicine, MORE Health brings renowned specialists together through its award-winning technology, connecting them with patients worldwide. To date, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most. The company, incorporated in 2013, is headquartered in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit morehealth.com.
February 13, 2023
San Mateo, Calif. – February 13, 2023 — MORE Health, a global digital health company, announces today that it will participate virtually in BTIG at Snowbird: Medtech, Digital Health, Life Science & Diagnostic Tools Conference, from February 14-16, 2023, in Snowbird, Utah.The conference brings together industry leaders to explore emerging innovations and trends across the healthcare industry. Attendees will include over 75 corporate management teams from life science and digital health organizations. MORE Health is attending to discuss its innovative solutions in critical illness with potential strategic partners, equity analysts, and investors.“MORE Health is improving health outcomes globally through patient advocacy services designed to help people with critical illnesses. Using our digital solutions, we provide access to the best medical minds in the world and high-touch services to ensure patients have the right diagnosis and treatment path,” said William Wen, Corporate Development and Investor Relations at MORE Health. “In doing this, we create unique patient acquisition opportunities for leading hospital systems worldwide. We also help life science organizations conduct clinical trials through our patient recruitment activities and provide focused data to assist researchers with drug development.”About MORE Health®MOREHealth is a global digital health company known for giving individuals access to the best medical minds when facing a serious illness. Recognized as a leader in cross-border telemedicine, MORE Health brings renowned specialists together through its award-winning technology, connecting them with patients worldwide. To date, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most. The company, incorporated in 2013, is headquartered in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit morehealth.com.Follow MORE Health on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For media or investor inquiries, please contact us.
January 5, 2023
San Mateo, Calif. - January 5, 2023— MORE Health, a global digital health company, announced today that it will participate in the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on January 9-12, 2023, in San Francisco.The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference brings together the leaders and innovators of the healthcare industry. This annual event is a gathering place for the healthcare industry’s leaders and executives to exchange information, showcase new technologies and connect with potential customers and investors. MORE Health is attending to discuss its innovative solutions in critical illness with potential strategic partners, equity analysts, and investors.“MORE Health is improving health outcomes globally through patient advocacy services designed to help people with critical illness. We provide access to the best medical minds in the world, along with high-touch service, innovation, and digital solutions to ensure patients have the right diagnosis and treatment path,” said Hope Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO at MORE Health. “By doing this, we create unique patient acquisition opportunities for hospital systems and life science organizations, who share our goal of improving the lives of patients around the world.”About MORE HealthMORE Health is a global digital health company known for giving individuals access to the best medical minds in the world when facing a serious illness or diagnosis. Recognized as a leader in cross-border telemedicine, MORE Health brings together user-friendly technology and renowned specialists to create a global healthcare marketplace for critical illness. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most.For more information about MORE Health, visit morehealth.com. For media or investor inquiries, please contact us.
August 3, 2022
San Mateo, Calif. – August 3, 2022 — Today, MORE Health, a leader in cross-border telemedicine, announced its global expansion of Prodigy Fertility by MORE Health. It will extend advanced fertility offerings to provide more options for employers seeking inclusive benefits to address employee health and wellness. MORE Health is a global digital health company widely recognized for offering individuals access to the best medical minds in the world. Through cutting-edge technology, MORE Health delivers Virtual Expert Medical Opinions to provide employers with an inclusive benefit that can improve health outcomes, boost productivity, and reduce healthcare costs.“For years, we have had success helping individuals and couples overcome infertility and other critical illness. It made sense to expand our offerings globally to meet the needs of our clients,” said Hope Lewis, MORE Health’s Co-Founder and CEO. “Expanding our fertility benefits will support a diverse workforce, help our clients attract and retain talent, and reduce stress during a difficult time. Short term, this will help companies in the ‘Great Resignation.’ Long term, this will allow us to reach more people and continue our goal of improving patients’ lives.”Prodigy Fertility by MORE Health will enable employers to offer advanced fertility benefits, including video consultations, egg and sperm freezing or donation, IVF, gestational carrier program (or surrogacy), and birth tourism. Unlike other solutions, Prodigy Fertility by MORE Health combines fertility services with leading medical experts from the MORE Health provider network to deliver the best possible health outcomes for all unexpected medical complications that may arise during one’s fertility journey.Benefit members, as well as non-members who use the service on a self-pay basis, will have access to Virtual Expert Medical Opinions from leading physicians specializing in reproductive health, infertility, and high-risk pregnancy. The service extends to post-delivery healthcare for parents, surrogates, as well as kids born preterm or with other sudden critical illness. About MORE HealthMORE Health began operations in 2011 and is headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley. Since incorporating in 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents. It continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world when they need it most—when facing a serious life-changing illness. 
July 5, 2022
San Mateo, Calif. – July 6, 2022 — SNIC Insurance announced the signing of a business collaboration agreement with MORE Health, a global digital healthcare company headquartered in Silicon Valley California USA. MORE Health provides patients access to the best medical minds in the world for an Expert Medical Second Opinion Benefit when they are facing a critical and potentially life-changing illness. The benefit is delivered virtually using the latest technology giving patients access without leaving home or missing work. SNIC Insurance’s partnership with MORE Health aims to provide SNIC Employee Benefits customers with the highest level of expertise when in critical need of a second opinion by granting them access to world-renowned physicians associated with leading academic medical centers.  Patients who claim the remote second opinion service will benefit from Co-Diagnosis® as the patient’s treating doctors are partnered through technology with MORE Health Physician Specialists to jointly develop a comprehensive collaborative diagnosis and the best treatment plan.  At the patient’s request, and once the case is validated by the SNIC Life and Medical Claims team, the patient will have 24/7 access to the MORE Health Platform. The team of experts will objectively review the existing diagnosis and treatment plan and offer a potentially new perspective. The MORE Health Case Manager will act as the patient’s advocate and is an effective bridge between the various medical teams and the patient—with the assistance of the SNIC Life and Medical Claims team. A dedicated case manager will guide the patient through the steps each service requires, collect all the patient’s medical history, test results, medical imaging, and keep the patient in the loop on progress while maintaining confidentiality and integrity.Leading MORE Health’s global expansion is Ted Bukowski, who serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. “We are excited about this new initiative with SNIC Insurance which helps us continue our mission to improve the lives of patients around the world,” said Mr. Bukowski. “We have worked diligently to build an exceptional provider network of physicians from top academic medical institutions in the world, and we couldn’t be more pleased to offer SNIC members access to the best medical minds in the world when they need it most.”On this occasion, Mr. Feda Salameh, Assistant General Manager of Marketing and Consumer Affairs of SNIC Insurance said: " We are very pleased with this collaboration which could be a life-changing service to our clients by utilizing the technology of Remote Second Medical Opinion by the best medical international consortiums extending the needed guidance for the best possible medical decision and treatment plan when its most needed without leaving home or having to miss work. Mr. Salameh concluded” This unique service comes as part of SNIC’s ongoing quest to offer the latest advanced solutions to its clients for the benefit of enhancing customer satisfaction and improving customer experience. The Remote Second Opinion is extended to our Employee Benefits Members as a free benefit for an added value to our clients knowing they can take advantage of MORE Health’s dedicated services when a highly critical health case arises.  This service offers several unique benefits starting with the best team of expert physicians and the state-of-the-art diagnostics platform, with a dedicated case manager for each patient, and a specialized second opinion for kids. We believe this market-leading remote 24/7 second opinion service will provide our customers with an extra layer of security and peace of mind knowing that such valuable service is available whenever they need it. For media inquiries, please contact Amanda Raitz-Hébert, VP of Global Marketing at amanda.raitz@morehealth.com.
June 14, 2022
MORE Health Awarded Gold in Competition that Recognizes World's Best Digital Health ResourcesSan Mateo, Calif. – June 15, 2022 — MORE Health was selected as a winner in the 24th annual Digital Health Awards® program. This competition—held each spring and fall—recognizes the world’s best digital health resources.The digital health company received a Gold Award for Social Media—LinkedIn. Marlow Hoffman, Marketing Brand Manager for MORE Health, is responsible for the production and design of the company’s social media which includes the LinkedIn platform.“We were delighted to participate in the 24th annual Digital Health Awards competition, and we're honored to be selected as a winner,” said Amanda Raitz-Hébert, Head of Marketing at MORE Health. “Our winning entry was chosen from nearly 700 entries judged by a panel of distinguished experts in digital health media.”MORE Health is a global digital health company headquartered in San Mateo, California. Pairing world-leading experts with cutting-edge technology, MORE Health’s Expert Medical Opinion is offered to employers as an employee benefit to improve health outcomes, boost productivity, and reduce medical spending. The company works with employers and benefits brokers, and the benefit is also available through their strategic partner, Virgin Pulse.The Health Information Resource CenterSM (HIRC), organizer of the Digital Health Awards, is a national information clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields. Other well-known HIRC programs include the annual National Health Information AwardsSM (healthawards.com), which annually recognizes the nation’s best consumer health information (in non-digital formats).About MORE HealthMORE Health is a global digital health company that pairs world-leading experts with cutting-edge technology to serve companies worldwide. Providing virtual access to the best medical minds in the world, MORE Health is improving the lives of patients around the globe with Virtual Second Medical Opinions from world-leading experts, Medical Travel Assistance to navigate medical treatment for patients internationally, and other offerings of Digital Clinical Tools, Medical Education, and Clinical Research. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world when they need it most—when facing serious life-changing illness. For general questions or media inquires, please contact Amanda Raitz Hébert, VP of Global Marketing at amanda.raitz@morehealth.com. 
January 29, 2022
Virgin Pulse clients can expand their Homebase for Health® with MORE Health’s second opinion, virtual diagnosis and treatment plan recommendation benefitsSan Mateo, Calif., January, 28, 2022 – MORE Health today announced it has partnered with Virgin Pulse, the leading global provider of tech-enabled solutions, making its expert second medical opinion benefit available for contract through Virgin Pulse to employers, health plans and hospital systems worldwide. MORE Health provides users and their family members access to the best medical minds in the world when faced with decisions regarding a serious, life-changing illness. The company’s preconfigured benefits are available to eligible employees, health plan members and health system patients through Virgin Pulse’s Homebase for Health® solution. Homebase for Health connects data, people and technology to deliver high-tech, human-touch experiences that engage and reward individual journeys. MORE Health provides patients peace of mind and confidence when facing a life-changing illness. Through its proprietary digital platform, MORE Health Case Managers connect the patient’s case and medical records to world-renowned MORE Health Physician Specialists. MORE Health’s Co-Diagnosis® service uses a collaborative approach to put the patient at the center of care. The patient’s attending physician and MORE Health Physician Specialist team up to deliver a diagnosis and treatment plan efficiently and effectively within just five days.“As a global digital health company, we look to partner with other innovative companies that employ technology to improve member care,” said Ted Bukowski, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at MORE Health. “We are excited to join Virgin Pulse’s partner network as a second opinion provider to deliver access to the best medical minds while helping organizations save money on healthcare costs.” Virgin Pulse’s industry-leading engagement levels increases partner program visibility and utilization through streamlined company adoption, seamless integration and member incentives. Virgin Pulse motivates members to develop healthy habits, manage health conditions and navigate their healthcare benefits by rewarding them for completing MORE Health’s second opinion process, follow-up assessment and quarterly quizzes.As a certified Virgin Pulse partner, MORE Health helps companies worldwide eliminate administrative burdens including privacy and security reviews, product configuration, procurement, contracting, invoicing and reporting. Virgin Pulse’s comprehensive digital tools, live services and partners like MORE Health help more than 100 million people worldwide change their lives for good while reducing company’s healthcare costs. Studies show 88 percent of second medical opinions result in major changes to diagnoses or recommended treatment plans. Leveraging MORE Health’s virtual second opinions from world-leading experts ensures the correct diagnosis and minimizes unnecessary treatment of misdiagnosed conditions.About MORE HealthMORE Health, a global digital health company, provides peace of mind and confidence to patients when they need it most—when facing a serious life-changing illness. Delivering second medical opinions virtually, MORE Health delivers a diagnosis and recommended treatment plan from the world’s best medical minds. This collaborative approach to diagnosis puts the patient at the center of the process—empowering them to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Offering all the benefits of a second opinion, the service ensures that the attending doctor and the expert physician specialist are aligned through their proprietary, GDPR- and HIPPA-compliant Physician Collaboration Platform™, thus minimizing errors while also resolving potential conflicts regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan developed. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most.# # #
October 19, 2021
San Mateo, Calif., – October 19, 2021 – Today, the global digital healthcare company MORE Health announced that it has received ISO 27001:2013 certification for its Information Security Management System (ISMS).  ISO 27001:2013 is an information security management system standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards, and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). MORE Health’s certification was issued by A-LIGN, an independent and accredited certification body based in the United States, on successful completion of a formal audit process. This certification is evidence that MORE Health has met rigorous international standards in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and security of data and information in all areas of its company.“We built security and privacy into our company’s architecture,” said William Lewis, Chief Security Officer and General Counsel at MORE Health. “We incorporated safeguards into all technology from the ground up and adhere to the highest security standards.” He went on to say, “We take threats to availability, integrity, and confidentiality of our clients’ information seriously, and we want to ensure and implement the highest levels of security.”MORE Health is a leader in cross-border telemedicine and was awarded one of the Top 150 Digital Health Companies by CB Insights. More recently, the company was ranked No. 33 on the Future Healthcare Top 100 Series List. The MORE Health Physician Collaboration Platform™ is a GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant digital health solution utilized by specialists around the world to deliver remote second opinions to patients globally. About MORE HealthMORE Health, a global digital health company, provides peace of mind and confidence when you need it most—when facing a serious life-changing illness. MORE Health delivers a diagnosis and recommended treatment plan from the world's best medical minds through a virtual second opinion. This collaborative approach to diagnosis puts the patient at the center of the process—empowering them to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. The service ensures that the attending doctor and the expert physician specialist are aligned through their proprietary, GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant Physician Collaboration Platform™; this minimizes errors while also resolving potential conflicts regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan developed. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most. For more information, please Contact Us. For inquiries, please contact Amanda Raitz Hébert, VP of Marketing at MORE Health, at amanda.raitz@morehealth.com. 
October 14, 2021
Houston, Texas, and San Mateo, Calif., - October 14, 2021 — Baylor College of Medicine and the global healthcare company MORE Health announced a unique collaboration that provides patients across the world access to the nationally and internationally recognized physicians at Baylor College of Medicine through MORE Health's Physician Collaboration Platform™.Through its prestigious network of tertiary and quaternary academic medical centers and esteemed physician specialists, MORE Health delivers a sophisticated version of the medical second opinion for its patients, called a collaborative diagnosis (or Co-Diagnosis®). The company provides this Co-Diagnosis® service through its full-featured, intuitive, GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant online platform. Together with the patient's treating physicians in their home state or country, MORE Health's physician specialists team up to deliver a diagnosis and treatment plan efficiently and effectively for the patient. Providing the patient with an expert remote second opinion saves them time and often puts their worries at ease.“It is truly an honor to add Baylor College of Medicine physicians to our prestigious network of specialists,” said Ted Bukowski, EVP, and Chief Revenue Officer at MORE Health. “Baylor is affiliated with nine highly regarded institutions, including Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. In addition, Baylor College of Medicine has a diversity of resources unparalleled at other academic health centers."“Our faculty physicians are committed to providing quality patient care, and we look forward to the opportunity to lend our medical expertise through the new collaboration with MORE Health,” said Dr. James T. McDeavitt, Executive Vice President and Dean of Clinical Affairs.Baylor College of Medicine boasts world-class physicians, multidisciplinary offerings, and a legacy of expertise. Its researchers and physicians also spearhead genetics research and solve complex medical cases, making Baylor one of the world’s foremost practitioners of precision medicine.Since 2013, MORE Health has helped thousands of patients around the world access care in the United States. Through this collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, MORE Health patients can access even more of the world's most preeminent doctors and specialists.About Baylor College of MedicineBaylor College of Medicine in Houston is a health sciences university and known for excellence in education, research and patient care. It is the only private medical school in the greater southwest and is ranked 22nd among medical schools for research and 17th for primary care by U.S. News & World Report. Baylor is listed 20th among all U.S. medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding and No. 1 in Texas. The Baylor pediatrics program ranked 7th among all pediatric programs, and is ranked in the Top 25 in seven other specialties. Located in the Texas Medical Center, Baylor has affiliations with seven teaching hospitals and jointly owns and operates Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, part of CHI St. Luke’s Health. Baylor Medicine is the primary multidisciplinary clinical practice of Baylor College of Medicine, which includes all clinical and administrative activities based in Baylor ambulatory care locations and activities supporting Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center. At Baylor Medicine, patients have access to world-class healthcare in more than 30 specialties and hundreds of clinical trials, all backed by the legacy of Baylor College of Medicine.About MORE HealthMORE Health, a global digital health company, provides peace of mind and confidence to patients when they need it most—when facing a serious life-changing illness. Delivering second medical opinions virtually, MORE Health delivers a diagnosis and recommended treatment plan from the world's best medical minds. This collaborative approach to diagnosis puts the patient at the center of the process—empowering them to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Offering all the benefits of a second opinion, the service ensures that the attending doctor and the expert physician specialist are aligned through their proprietary, GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant Physician Collaboration Platform™, thus minimizing errors while also resolving potential conflicts regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan developed. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most. For more information, please Contact Us.
July 28, 2021
Aurora, Colo. and San Mateo, Calif. - July 28, 2021 — Children's Hospital Colorado and the global healthcare company MORE Health announced a unique collaboration that provides patients across the world access to the nationally- and internationally-recognized physicians at Children's Hospital Colorado through MORE Health's Physician Collaboration Platform™.Through its prestigious network of tertiary and quaternary Academic Medical Centers and esteemed physician specialists, MORE Health delivers a sophisticated version of the medical second opinion for its patients, called a collaborative diagnosis (or Co-Diagnosis®). The company provides this Co-Diagnosis® service through its full-featured, intuitive, GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant online platform. Together with the patient's treating physicians in their home country, MORE Health's physician specialists team up to deliver a diagnosis and treatment plan efficiently and effectively for the patient. Providing the patient with an expert remote second opinion saves them time and often puts their worries at ease. “In developing our provider network for MORE Health for Kids, we seek out the very best for children and their families, said Ted Bukowski, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer of MORE Health. "That's why we are proud to offer Children's Hospital Colorado to our prestigious network of children's hospitals.” “As one of the most comprehensive and highest-quality children’s hospitals in the United States, Children’s Hospital Colorado offers a complete range of health care services for children and young adults with childhood diseases,” says Raphe Schwartz, chief strategy officer, Children’s Hospital Colorado. “We are very excited to support children and families all over the world by offering second opinions to keep them close to home.”Children’s Hospital Colorado is one of the nation’s leading pediatric healthcare systems, ranked #6 by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped thousands of patients around the world access care in the United States. Through this partnership with Children's Hospital Colorado, MORE Health patients can access even more of the world's most preeminent doctors and specialists.About Children’s Hospital ColoradoChildren’s Hospital Colorado is one of the nation’s leading and most expansive pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and recognized as a top ten children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children’s Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including its location on the Anschutz Medical Campus, and across the region. In 2019, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, opened as the first pediatric-only hospital in southern Colorado. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. About MORE HealthMORE Health, a global digital health company, provides peace of mind and confidence to patients when they need it most—when facing a serious life-changing illness. Delivering second medical opinions virtually, MORE Health delivers a diagnosis and recommended treatment plan from the world's best medical minds. This collaborative approach to diagnosis puts the patient at the center of the process—empowering them to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Offering all the benefits of a second opinion, the service ensures that the attending doctor and the expert physician specialist are aligned through their proprietary, GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant Physician Collaboration Platform™, thus minimizing errors while also resolving potential conflicts regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan developed. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide clients and their members access to the best medical minds in the world—when they need it most. For more information about MORE Health for Kids, visit morehealth.com/kids, or contact us.
RECENT BLOG
March 15, 2023
Back in 1989, when I was 29 years old, I went through a six-month period where I had a rapid onset of symptoms that impacted my ability to feel anything from my waist down to my toes.  My doctors eventually settled on three probable diagnoses: MS, ALS, or Epstein-Barr. These possible diagnoses rocked me.Six months with no feeling from the waist downI didn’t know much about what was happening to my body. I wasn’t a doctor or nurse, and this was long before I worked in employee benefits, which now gives me more insight into health and wellness. But I did have a close relationship with a family friend who had MS. She was retired and living a reasonably normal life, with what appeared to be little impact on her day-to-day activities. So, I thought, “Well, if it’s MS, I can probably deal with that.” But the idea of ALS freaked me out. I knew it wasn’t good, so I kept my fingers crossed that I didn’t have that.During this 6-month period, I was numb from the waist down—hips to toes. I had zero feeling though I could still move around with significant effort. I was so stiff I could barely walk, and when I did, it felt like I was walking on stilts. Walking considerable distances was out of the question, which was really discerning, but I just pushed forward and hoped for the best.I wasn’t really in pain, so I didn’t take medication. I was told that the medicine would “hopefully” relieve some of my symptoms, but it wasn’t clear if it would improve the stiffness, and it wouldn’t be a cure. So, I skipped the drugs and just made heavy lifestyle changes, mainly with my diet.Fast forward six months later: I was driving a long commute in southern California between Huntington Beach and Tarzana when I noticed tingling in my legs. Two to three weeks later, I got all the feeling back, and my symptoms subsided. Symptom-free for 10 years.  Was it MS or a misdiagnosis? Ten years later, in 1999, I was still symptom-free but decided to have a new doctor review my medical history. He didn’t think I had MS because he thought it would have presented itself again. He said my symptoms ten years prior could have stemmed from something else, such as a virus like Guillian-Barre syndrome. The doctor said to let him know if the symptoms ever came back. But they didn’t. That is, until 2019.30 years later: A concrete diagnosis—then the anxiety set in Back in 1989, I’d only been given a “probable” diagnosis because my MRI scans were all clean. I had no signs of degeneration of the myelin on my spinal cord that you typically see with MS. While my spinal tap indicated that it could be MS, doctors said they needed to see another round of symptoms before providing a diagnosis. Three decades later, the doctors got just that. So, we’re talking about 30 years without symptoms when suddenly, I started having issues with my walking again. Things progressed rapidly from there, and I finally got concrete answers. Doctors confirmed that I had MS through an MRI I had completed in the Spring of 2020—just when we were entering the first stages of the pandemic. The medications and treatment options that my doctors suggested for me are the kind that shut down your immune system and restart it. That seemed very scary to me since having a healthy immune system seemed to be an advantage for those who contracted COVID.Needless to say, I had a lot of anxiety about the treatments my doctors were suggesting. We didn’t have the COVID-19 vaccine yet, and the thought of messing with my immune system made me uncomfortable. So, as in 1989, I decided not to do any medication and went hardcore on lifestyle and dietary improvements instead.I firmly believe that solid nutrition, regular exercise, and consistent sleep are the primary foundations of good health. So, I changed the way I ate, opting for a Mediterranean diet, plus juicing with fresh, organic raw fruits and vegetables three times a day. I also started taking natural organic supplements and vitamins. I made sure they were highly vetted and from reliable sources—because my experience in employee health and wellness has taught me that many manufactured vitamins don’t have the benefit that people think they do. I also added stretching and yoga to my daily routine to help with my stiffness and mobility issues. These changes improved some of my symptoms, like my “foot drop,” which prevented my left ankle from moving, causing it to drag while I walked. I seemed to be “treading water” after adapting my diet and lifestyle. I was feeling pretty good for about a year.Revisiting MS medication options after the COVID-19 vaccineBy 2021, I noticed I was getting worse again and going in a direction I didn’t like. I was vaccinated against COVID-19 at this point, so I revisited the medication options with my neurologist. He said he was glad we didn’t do Rituximab, the medication he’d initially recommended in 2020. It was an IV immunotherapy drug, and they had seen issues with it concerning the COVID virus. Instead, he recommended a different medication called Tysabri. I completed the testing and pre-work required to qualify for the treatment, but I was still nervous about it, and with good reason: I was told if I’d had something called the JC (John Cunningham) virus at any point in my lifetime, the medication could kill me. Well, that didn’t give me much confidence about moving forward. I had been tested and cleared of the JC virus, but I was still feeling nervous, so I decided to pull the plug on starting that treatment too.I was looking for hope that my MS symptoms could improveFast forward to 2022. I continued to get a little worse, and I wanted some hope. I think that was one of my biggest issues. I was looking for my doctors to give me hope that I could feel better. I woke up every morning feeling like my body had been a punching bag for a boxer. I’d stretch after getting out of bed to reduce soreness and stiffness and increase my mobility, but I wanted some hope that my symptoms could improve. I hadn’t been getting that. My doctors, as reputable as they were, could only tell me their goal with the medication was to prevent me from feeling worse or to slow the progression of the disease. That’s why I didn’t want to pursue the treatment. I wanted to feel better. I have followed people with MS who share their personal experiences using various strategies, whether medications or more natural means. A wide variety of things have worked for some but not for many. Undeniably though, my symptoms were going downhill. So, I started doing my own intense research. I went into MS blogs and chatrooms to connect with people who’d been on MS medication and compared our symptoms. I discovered some hope out there. But unfortunately, the medications didn’t work universally for everybody. It seemed hit or miss. Doctors were treating MS in many ways. They’d often start with one medication, and if that didn’t work, they’d try another one, and then another, and so on. Many people I talked to had been through that trial-and-error process, yet others had one medication in particular that moved the needle for them. One gentleman I spoke to had been in a wheelchair for MS and had dealt with symptoms for about 25 years. It had progressed much more rapidly for him than for me, but many of our symptoms were the same. He’d gone on the same drug (Tysabri) that my doctors wanted to prescribe me. Before the treatment, he could get from his wheelchair to the bed or a chair but couldn’t walk well. He took the medication, and today he’s running 10Ks. Now, that was kind of the hope I was looking for. I don’t expect to be running 10Ks, but even if I could walk a 1K, that would be an improvement because I can’t run at all right now, and walking is labored.One of the symptoms I have is called MS hug. It’s a tightness around the torso that feels like I just did 500 sit-ups. And it feels like that, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s hard to run when you feel like that. So, in hearing this guy’s story, I got some hope and started thinking about what I could do.Adios anxiety: the benefit of an expert second medical opinion  In my occupation with Johnson and Dugan, we provide products and services for employers so they can offer employee benefits to take care of their people. I’ve spent much of my career in employee benefits—specifically, partially self-funded plans. I’ve worked with groups to add specific strategies and employee benefits to assist people, reduce claims, and improve health outcomes. That got me thinking about MORE Health. I liked the idea of an expert second opinion. I’m in a closed HMO, though, so if I go outside the HMO, it comes out of my wallet. I saw that MORE Health has a way to bring in a benefit at a reasonable cost so that employers can give their employees an option for a second opinion. Now, I really started thinking about a second opinion. I wanted one for myself because, after all this time, I still felt unsure about what treatment option to try—if any. This experience also led me to question why most health plans don’t offer coverage for second opinions. This is a problem in our healthcare system, I believe. At a recent NextGen healthcare delivery strategy conference I attended, I learned that 1 in 20 adults in American are misdiagnosed every year. Knowing this, it surprised me to dig in and discover that none of the major insurance carriers include a second opinion as a benefit of their coverage for a serious major illness! This surprised me, especially when you look at the significant costs that come along with a misdiagnosis. These costs may not involve money alone; it could mean one's life.I had doubts about my treatment options for many reasons: I was concerned about how the medications interacted with the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. My son—who eats a primarily vegetarian diet, does yoga, and is not a firm believer in Western Medicine—has not been a fan of me going the medication route. And given my line of work and what I’ve seen on the news about the pharmaceutical industry recently, I didn’t know how much I could trust any of it.I thought getting a second opinion from a leading specialist would be helpful. I wanted somebody to look over my shoulder and give me a thumb up, sideways, or down on what my doctors were proposing. So, I reached out to MORE Health. They did most of the work and paired me with a leading specialist for MS who looked at my entire case. All my records were delivered virtually to that physician through their online technology, including my MRIs and CT scans. I could even provide a report from years prior. I still had my physician’s assessment from 1989 in my files, which had data on the initial findings from my spinal tap and MRIs. Within five days, I got the final report. It came in the day before my first scheduled infusion therapy. I’d prepared myself to pull the plug on the treatment that morning, but I didn’t have to. I got a detailed report from MORE Health that reviewed all my medical records, their findings of my CT scans, MRIs, and blood work. The specialist they assigned to my case examined everything and commented on it. The report included a conclusion with the physician’s recommendation that I go forward with infusion therapy (Tysabri) every six weeks, which is what my doctors at home had prescribed. The physician also wrote a caveat that if I didn’t see results in a certain amount of time, they would recommend a second medication.Before getting an expert opinion on my case, I was going through a lot of anxiety about doing the infusion therapy. After receiving the specialist’s final report, I was very relaxed. I wasn’t anxious at all as the report provided through the MORE Health second opinion relieved my apprehension about getting started on this immunotherapy treatment. As I write this, I am less than 24 hours from my fourth infusion of Tysabri. So far, the physical difficulties I have experienced have remained in check, and my physical symptoms haven’t gotten worse. My focus and productivity at work have improved. I hadn’t considered those issues before treatment. I just struggled along and pushed myself to be productive—all while experiencing various leg pains and on-and-off discomfort that worsened as the day progressed. My doctors say that for some people, the benefits of the drug kick in right away, while for others, it takes 12 months, and for others still, it never works. I’ve always been a glass-half-full guy, though. It’s not in my nature to be a pessimistic person. I’ve always looked forward and believed the future has yet to be created. We will have to wait and see how the treatment shows up for me, but as for the anxiety, adios!  About the AuthorMichael Mulqueeney is the Vice President of Business Development with Johnson & Dugan Insurance Corporation, a UBA Partner Employee Benefits Advisory firm that has been in business in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly 40 years. Mike was diagnosed with Remitting Relapsing MS in 2020. He lives in the hope of feeling better physically and maintaining his ability to play a round of golf—as hard as it may be for others to watch. About MORE HealthMORE Health is a global digital health company known for giving individuals access to the best medical minds in the world when facing a serious illness or diagnosis. Recognized as a leader in cross-border telemedicine, MORE Health delivers virtual Expert Medical Opinions from world-leading specialists by pairing technology and world-class service. Offered as an employee benefit or on an individual self-pay basis, this service is available to groups of any size in the U.S. and abroad. Since 2013, MORE Health has helped patients on six continents and continues its mission to provide patient advocacy to clients and members worldwide—when they need it most.