“Stem Cell” Company Teams up With Insurer

The Zero Card, a Tulsa-based supplemental healthcare benefit provider, has announced a partnership with living cell therapeutics (sometimes referred to as a “stem cell” therapeutic) company Regenexx.

Colorado-based Regenexx has a global network of Regenexx trained physicians who provide the Regenexx brand of living cell therapies to treat a variety of musculoskeletal problems.

The Zero Card is a supplemental healthcare program for self-funded employers to offer health insurance to their employees. Zero Card directly contracts high volume, common procedures such as lab work, diagnostic imaging, and certain interventions including surgery with suppliers and passes savings along to its members. The program is voluntary, so its members can still access care through traditional employer programs.

When a Zero Card member uses a benefit, the employee pays $0 and the plan will pay significantly less for the service than through traditional channels.

The Zero Card has formed a direct supply relationship with the Regenexx network of physicians and is planning to offer the Regenexx living cell therapies to its members.

The Regenexx system uses a patient’s own blood or bone marrow to concentrate living cells and other potentially beneficial agents and treats patients who have damaged or degenerated bone, cartilage, muscle, tendons, and ligaments.

Jim Millaway, CEO of Zero Card said, “Regenexx provides non-surgical treatments to help treat orthopedic injuries and restore joint function without surgery. Non-surgical means less pain, less downtime and less risk. The Zero Card is excited to make this a part of our product offering, it fits perfectly with our vision to create a healthcare marketplace that is easy to understand, that provides a great value to the employer, and can be offered for $0 to the employee.”

According to Regenexx CEO Jason Hellickson, “The addition of Regenexx procedures to a self-funded plan dramatically reduces the amount of unnecessary orthopedic surgeries which is a win-win for employee and employer….For people in pain, the opportunity to avoid surgery and treat their orthopedic condition is transforming. The Zero Card offers true transparency in cost and provides the highest quality options in healthcare. Regenexx fits perfectly into this model, with savings realized the moment a surgery is avoided.”

OTW spoke with Anthony Vasquez, EVP of Regenexx Corporate, who said, “Regenexx is the leader in interventional orthopedics and regenerative medicine. Our patented protocols allow patients to avoid orthopedic surgeries with little downtime and reduced or no opioid prescriptions. The Regenexx provider network is backed by research and driven by data and has performed more than 75,000 procedures worldwide and counting.”

He continued, “Today over 6 million Americans have access to the Regenexx provider network via their self-funded health plan, health interventionalist network, or Christian Health Sharing Ministries. Regenexx’s partnership with The Zero Card is in line with their model of reducing the healthcare spend trajectory through direct relationships with low cost, high quality providers. Regenexx offers a low-cost alternative to orthopedic surgery to the Zero Card plan, and the Zero Card makes Regenexx procedures available to health plans across the country.”