Private Medicare plan Devoted Health first to offer Apple Watch as a benefit

Private health insurer Devoted Health says it is the first Medicare Advantage plan to offer Apple Watch as a benefit to its members.

Christina Farr for CNBC:

Devoted Health, a start-up health insurer targeting seniors with its private Medicare plans, says it is the first to offer Apple Watch as a fitness benefit to its members.

Devoted, which was founded by brothers and serial entrepreneurs Todd and Ed Park, is attempting to differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded market of Medicare Advantage plans through its focus on “world class technology,” according to its website. Devoted was valued at $1.8 billion when it raised $300 million about a year ago. The company will offer up to $150 off the cost of an Apple Watch for its members.

For Apple, working with Medicare Advantage plans offers a big potential boost to device sales because seniors are increasingly adopting smartphone technologies and therefore might be interested in a smartwatch.

Apple has been courting this population by introducing features and services that are intended to be beneficial to older users, such as fall detection and heart health monitoring.

MacDailyNews Take: Devoted Health has set itself apart, but not for long. We believe Devoted is the first of many Medicare Advantage providers who will deliver Apple Watch and its health, wellness, and lifesaving capabilities to their members!

That said, congrats Devoted Health and their customers for being the first Medicare Advantage plan with an Apple Watch benefit!