Mira and the Urgent Care Association Enter Into a Strategic Partnership

Washington D.C. - Mira, featured as one of the most promising healthcare companies by the Washington Business Journal, with a mission to help uninsured and underinsured individuals get access to preventative and routine healthcare, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Urgent Care Association (UCA)through the Association‚s newly formed Gateway2Better Network.

The Urgent Care Association is the largest and most notable trade and professional association in the urgent care market. The partnership was formalized after month-long discussions between the two organizations. Our goal was to explore possible ways to align UCA‚s mission of advancing the industry and supporting its member's success with Mira's mission of making healthcare pricing transparent and affordable for the average middle-class American, said Khang T. Vuong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mira.

Bringing Affordable Healthcare to Middle-Class Americans

There are 86 million Americans without insurance or have insurance but with a high deductible, many of those work for a small business or straddle the gig economy a trend that is on the rise. According to research done by MBO Partners, as of 2019, there are 41 million independent workers in the U.S, representing 31% of the American workforce and generating $1.28 trillion of revenue the size of Spain's economy.

Being an independent worker comes with many perks and flexibility. However, healthcare benefits, specifically access to affordable healthcare, have always been a big setback for folks who chose to work independently. Mira fills in this gap by bridging access to high-quality and fairly priced medical services enabled by a membership plan that is 20-30 times less than the cost of insurance premiums. For folks who have a high deductible insurance or a health sharing plan, Mira makes a nice addition on top of their existing policy to manage and lower out-of-pocket costs, said Vuong, Mira's CEO.

Within the partnership agreement, Mira will tap into an extensive network of urgent care centers nationally, allowing its' members to access medical treatments at the right time and the right place, with or without insurance.

How Mira Works

Mira provides its members with a low-cost way to access preventative and urgent care. Through an affordable monthly membership fee, Mira's members will get access to healthcare services at an all-inclusive fixed price covering a comprehensive list of conditions ranging from flu, women's health to minor injuries, and wound care.

While Mira does not cover hospitalization, the company's goal is to help consumers become more proactive in managing their own health and move toward a preventative mindset.

Under the current system, healthcare consumers get access to a provider network with pre-negotiated prices via an insurance policy. But for middle-class Americans who do not receive employer-sponsored health benefits, buying in an insurance policy on their own is a financial challenge, especially when the monthly premium cost often exceeds that of renting a house. For folks who can afford it, the thousands of dollars limit on out-of-pocket deductible deter them from getting care.

Helping Providers Stay Ahead of The Game

For providers within the network, Mira brings a first-in-market digital experience that will transform how patients access healthcare, without the complexity of navigating insurance policy or finding a same-day appointment within a narrow network.

On top of that, by simplifying payment, Mira helps providers save a significant amount of time, effort, and overhead expenses, associated with traditional billing and coding. Hence, enabling providers to spend more time with the individual patient, restoring the high touch aspect of healthcare. 

"We think this is a win-win for both the patients and the providers. Healthcare is a very complex industry and we anticipate the market to evolve rapidly within the next few years, largely due to big players from adjacent industries entering the space. Urgent care operators and providers have historically been quick to innovate and adapt to changes around them and this is no exception. Collaborating through the network with organizations like Mira will help our members stay a step ahead of the game," says Laurel Stoimenoff, Chief Executive Officer of the Urgent Care Association.

How to Sign Up

Both Mira and UCA expect to launch the network as early as November 1st, ahead of the open enrollment and Flu season.  

• Interested clinics can sign up on UCA's website.
• Individual patients who want to get access to Mira can sign up.

About the Urgent Care Association and the Gateway2Better Network 

The Urgent Care Association (UCA) is a membership association of leaders, providers, and suppliers in the field of on-demand, consumer-focused healthcare. UCA advances the industry and supports member success through advocacy, research, education, collaboration, and high standards of care. The association maintains an active online presence and member community for daily exchange of best practices. 

The Gateway2Better Network (G2BN) is an exclusive opportunity for UCA organizational members to become part of a one-of-a-kind, on-demand, nationwide network of urgent care. G2BN connects participants with organizations seeking urgent care and on-demand services through contractual partnerships. The network enables individual, regional, and national healthcare organizations to join a nationwide network and secure partnerships designed to support growth, innovation, and access to care.

About Mira 

TalktoMira, Inc. (Mira) is an innovative healthcare company with a mission to bring affordable and immediate healthcare access to uninsured and underinsured Americans. Mira was featured in multiple publications including the Washington Business Journal, Leaps Magazine, and the Direct Primary Care Journal. The company was selected as one of the 15 most innovative healthcare startups by HLTH in 2019.