STAMFORD, CT - January 7, 2025 – Upswing Health, a leader in virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) population health management, and the State of Connecticut Health Plan (SOCHP) today announced results from an analysis conducted by the State of Connecticut Health Plan's independent analytics vendor, the Segal Company. The data revealed that for members utilizing Upswing Health’s services, the health plan experienced 56% savings in MSK-related costs per member per month (PMPM), compared to a matched cohort of non-participants. Upswing also achieved a Net Promoter Score of 85, a strong indicator of an outstanding member experience.

“These results are a testament to the power of our model,” said Dr. Jay Kimmel, Co-Founder and CEO of Upswing Health. “By combining innovative technology with human expertise, we’re not only delivering superior care but also driving significant cost savings for our clients. This analysis confirms our ability to create value for both our patients and plan sponsors alike.”

Upswing Health’s all-virtual MSK care model leverages advanced AI-assisted symptom assessment technology with athletic trainers and orthopedic specialists to deliver personalized and cost-effective care for low and medium acuity MSK problems the moment they occur. By proactively addressing MSK issues, Upswing reduces the need for more costly interventions while improving health outcomes. To study the effectiveness of the Upswing solution, Segal compared the costs and outcomes of Upswing participants before and after enrolling in Upswing as well as against a control group of non-participants to adjust for selection bias using a Coarsened Exact Matching methodology.

Key findings of the study include:

Though baseline MSK-related costs for the Upswing population and the non-Upswing control group were closely aligned, the MSK-related trend for Upswing enrollees (including all Upswing program costs) decreased by 35.9% in the year following enrollment, compared to a 36.4% increase for those in the control group.

Upswing participants had higher baseline Emergency Room utilization (pre-Upswing enrollment) than non-participants (54.1 per 1,000 vs. 34.7 per 1,000). Despite this, Upswing participants in this analysis subsequently had no Emergency Room visits in the measurement period post-enrollment vs. 38.3 per 1,000 for non-participants.

Upswing participants used opioids far less than non-participants, an encouraging sign that members are using the therapy techniques and not addictive prescription drugs to manage pain.

Upswing’s average length of member engagement was 54 days during which members self-reported a 51% reduction in pain without medicinal intervention.

“The outcomes of the study speak volumes about the impact Upswing Health is having on the health and well-being of our employees and their families,” said Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, the administrator of the SOCHP. “We are thrilled to see such tangible benefits for our members and the state overall.”

“Upswing’s remarkable success with the State of Connecticut Health Plan demonstrates its scalability and potential for replication across similar diverse populations,” said Matt Storeygard, Connecticut Innovations’ Senior Managing Director for Venture Capital Investments, an early investor in Upswing. “We congratulate the team at Upswing Health.”


About Upswing Health:
Upswing Health is an MSK population health management company founded by two orthopedic surgeons. The company was created to solve the waste and inefficiency of America’s multi-billion-dollar crisis in MSK care with a radical re-reinvention of the delivery system – for individuals and employers. The company replaces the current model, which forces patients to struggle through other more time-consuming and costlier choices for their care. Upswing's digital platform and virtual front-door to MSK care replaces that broken system with a better way using a proprietary symptom assessment tool that immediately provides patients with insights into their MSK condition and then sends them to an athletic trainer first. This is sufficient for as many as 80% of all cases; those who need more complex care are rapidly triaged to Upswing’s orthopedic specialists. Patients stay in Upswing's ecosystem for the entirety of their journey - from prevention to diagnosis and recovery. For more information on Upswing Health, please visit: www.UpswingHealth.com.


About Connecticut Innovations:
Connecticut Innovations (CI) is Connecticut’s strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticut’s innovative, growing companies. CI provides venture capital and strategic support for early-stage technology companies, financial support for innovation and collaboration, and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. For more information, please visit www.ctinnovations.com.