Everyone's waiting to see what digital health pioneer Omada's next move will be

Hello,

Welcome to Insider Healthcare! I'm Megan Hernbroth, a senior reporter on the healthcare team covering startups and venture capital. Today in healthcare news:

• Everyone in healthcare is waiting for digital health pioneer Omada's next move;
• A new report shows health insurers are moving beyond just paying medical claims;
• Experts debate whether coronavirus vaccines should be mandated.

If you're new to this newsletter and want more healthcare news in your inbox, sign up here. If you have any tips on healthcare startups, venture investors, or upcoming SPACs, drop me a line at mhernbroth@insider.com or tweet at @Megan_Hernbroth.

His biggest rival scored a $13.9 billion buyout. Now the CEO who helped pioneer the digital health industry is under pressure to make a big move.

• The $13.9 billion takeover of Livongo brought attention to its rival Omada. Omada helped pioneer digital health and is older than Livongo.
• Now Omada is facing pressure to make moves as it weighs its future direction.
• CEO Sean Duffy told Insider that he sees an IPO or SPAC as little more than a financing event, and is instead focusing on broadening his reach now that the world has bought into his vision of digital health.

Read the full deep dive from me and my colleague Blake Dodge here >>

Big insurers like UnitedHealth, Humana, Cigna, and Anthem are moving beyond paying for care. A new report reveals just how much their DNA has changed.

• Lines are blurring between insurers and providers as they vie for more of the $3.8 trillion healthcare industry.
• A new report by AM Best shows just how much the DNA of some healthcare companies has changed.
• Here's how UnitedHealth, Humana, Cigna, and Anthem, are moving beyond just paying medical claims.

Read the full analysis from Shelby Livingston here >>

Should the COVID-19 vaccine be mandated? Debate takes center stage, as hospitals, colleges and businesses start requiring the shot.

• A new phase of the US immunization campaign has begun, with supply now expected to exceed demand.
• Public-health experts are debating whether vaccine mandates for some groups would help or hurt.
• Some organizations, like a major Houston health system, are requiring the shot for their employees.

Here's what experts think>>

More stories we're reading today:

• People in India are being cremated in parking lots, with so much demand that families have to take tickets and wait (Insider)
• More than 100 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday (Insider)
• Virologist Angela Rasmussen addresses the controversy surrounding Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine (STAT News)
• The pandemic's superstar data scientist Youyang Gu shares the lessons he's learned (MIT Technology Review)

Last, I wanted to give a quick shoutout to Zach Tracer, the deputy editor for healthcare, on his being named The Drum's Editor of the Year! Congratulations, Zach! We are so lucky to have you leading our team.

- Megan