Consumer Wearable Company Whoop Targets Medicare Patients Under ACCESS Pilot

Consumer wearable maker Whoop is expanding its reach beyond its traditional base of performance athletes to older adults through Medicare’s ACCESS program. Speaking at the STAT Summit in Boston, Whoop Chief Medical Officer Ami Bhatt discussed how the company is adapting its platform for Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older.

Entering Medicare’s ACCESS Pilot

Whoop was accepted into Medicare’s 10-year ACCESS program, making the wearable device, a 12-month app subscription, and clinician support available at no cost to eligible traditional Medicare patients. The initiative aims to provide chronic condition management for individuals dealing with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and prediabetes.

Under the ACCESS model, participating companies are paid by Medicare based on their health outcomes rather than just service delivery. To receive full payment, Whoop must demonstrate that it improved or controlled specific clinical measures tied to these chronic conditions, such as blood pressure, hemoglobin A1C, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Adapting Technology for Older Adults

Known historically for targeting young, fit consumers, Whoop is now focusing on user experience modifications for older demographics. Bhatt noted that a primary roadmap item is simplifying the application interface. Surveys indicate that older populations trust their clinicians with data, but the challenge lies in making data sharing frictionless.

To tailor the product, Whoop is collaborating with organizations including the National Council on Aging and AARP. Bhatt emphasized that older adults have diverse personal goals regarding how they feel, perform, and age, and the technology should support those individual priorities rather than imposing a single standard.

Balancing Engagement and Clinical Outcomes

While user engagement metrics show that Whoop users check the platform frequently, Bhatt acknowledged that high engagement does not automatically translate to better health outcomes. Drawing comparisons to continuous glucose monitors used in diabetes management, she stressed the importance of tracking concrete clinical results, such as blood pressure reductions.

Bhatt also addressed the practical limitations of continuous data within traditional clinical workflows. Reviewing raw continuous streams during standard 20-minute doctor visits can be overwhelming for physicians. To bridge this gap, Whoop envisions generating comprehensive, contextualized reports that summarize wearable data alongside patient journal entries and app coach interactions, providing clinicians with actionable summaries.

• Whoop joined Medicare’s ACCESS program to offer devices and subscriptions at no cost.
• The initiative targets chronic conditions including hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, and prediabetes.
• Payment under the pilot depends on demonstrating improvements in clinical health outcomes over 12 months.