Reimagining Healthcare From Home: Lemonaid

As of October 29, the U.S. hit an all-time high with a daily coronavirus infection rate soaring over 90,000. But even though we're in the pandemic of the century, people still need basic healthcare services. Even pre-COVID, the telemedicine market size was valued at more than $6.6 billion. Lemonaid has firmly established itself as an industry leader, with an intuitive website and app, competitive pricing that doesn't require insurance and a team of physicians at the helm who put patients' needs first.

"We built Lemonaid on the mission of increasing access to affordable, convenient healthcare for everyone in the U.S. My co-founder Ian and I were disgusted that access to healthcare was too difficult, too expensive and sometimes even impossible," says Lemonaid's CEO and co-founder Paul Johnson. "The average wait time for an appointment with a doctor in the U.S. is 29 days. Many of our patients complete the whole experience with Lemonaid in less than 30 minutes."

The U.S.'s ongoing struggle with affordable healthcare was one of the most contested issues of the recent election. And regardless of the outcome, nothing in Washington gets done quickly. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that in 2018, more than 27 million Americans were uninsured. In September alone, the number rose by 661,000. Whether you're insured or not, a visit to the doctor's office is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Lemonaid offers nearly 40 different virtual consultation and treatment options, as well as general primary care video visits.

Lemonaid's road to success has been paved with the hard work of a diverse staff of doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, clinical experts, and a behind-the-scenes technology team that keeps that platform running smoothly. Rolling out such an ambitious effort among states, each with different regulatory processes, has been an arduous process.

"Creating an innovative model in healthcare is difficult because it must combine clinical expertise, regulatory compliance, technology experience and fulfillment, while also creating the best possible patient experience," says Johnson. "We've been able to overcome the challenges by building a culture where we put our patients first. Our team is passionate about changing how healthcare is provided, and we're proud of our more than 5,000 five-star reviews."

Part of Lemonaid's vision is to reach communities that have been traditionally underrepresented or acknowledged in the healthcare industry. Recent reports indicate that the LGBTQ population has been particularly susceptible to health disparities amid the pandemic. This includes a research brief by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that highlighted barriers to healthcare, coverage gaps, and other shortfalls that already affected LGBTQ Americans to a greater extent than their heterosexual peers. Breaking down barriers to access, particularly for the treatment of STDs and erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and other sensitive diagnoses help empower people to take control of their well-being.

How It Works
Convenience aside, Lemonaid's cost savings has been a huge factor in attracting and retaining customers. Consultation fees for most services are only $25 (less than most insurance co-payments). Treatment for anxiety or depression is part of a flat-rate monthly plan ($95), including a monthly online visit, personalized treatment plan, and FDA-approved medication shipped directly to you. Layers of security safeguard patient information. You can choose to have prescriptions discretely shipped to your home or sent to a local pharmacy.

Pandemic Response
In addition to its core services, Lemonaid's agile response to the pandemic is a testimony to the company's commitment to patient care. The company was also ahead of the curve as the first on-demand depression and anxiety online treatment service, which launched in May 2019.

"Our doctors prescribe recommended first-line treatments for depression and/or anxiety where the patient is appropriate for medication using our model," says Dr. Davis Liu, Lemonaid's Chief Medical Officer. "These include antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). We also support our patients in finding access to online therapy, in-person care and other support services."

EDGE recently reported about the mental health challenges facing the LGBTQ community. Now more than ever, queer Americans are dealing with anxiety, depression and insomnia. Lemonaid's trained team has treatment strategies for all of these symptoms, as well as the soon-to-launch, at-home COVID-19 antibody test.

From a business perspective, it's not just customers who have taken notice of Lemonaid's innovative and approachable business model. Amid an economic crisis, the on-demand platform for accessing online healthcare has completed a Series B funding round, bringing total financing to $55 million.

"The U.S. healthcare system has struggled to deliver the services patients need in a way that is convenient and effective. The challenges of providing routine care has been exacerbated recently as the majority of health resources have been focused on responding to the coronavirus pandemic," says Johnson. "We founded Lemonaid Health with a vision to increase access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. As more consumers have turned to telehealth in the last six months, we've seen significant growth in demand for our online services. With the additional financing, we will be able to help even more patients get the care they deserve and expand our services in partnership with other healthcare providers."

Learn more at lemonaidhealth.com.

Lemonaid Health is a national online doctor's office. Services are provided by one of our four medical groups. All four medical groups do business as 'Lemonaid Health'. In all states other than Kansas, New Jersey and Texas, Lemonaid services are provided by LMND Medical Group, Inc., A Professional Corporation, doing business as Lemonaid Health. In Kansas, Lemonaid services are provided by LMND Medical Group, A Professional Association, with a registered office 112 SW 7TH Street, Suite 3C, Topeka, KS 66603. In New Jersey, Lemonaid services are provided by LMND Medical Group Professional Corporation, with a registered office 820 Bear Tavern Road, West Trenton, NJ 08628. In Texas, Lemonaid services are provided by LMND Medical Group, A Professional Association, with a registered office 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 900, Dallas, TX 75201.