Mercer Forms Strategic Alliance with Livongo Health to Help Employees Better Manage Diabetes

Mercer announced this week that it has formed a strategic alliance with Livongo Health to provide employers and their employees and dependents with better tools to manage diabetes, a chronic disease affecting nearly 10% of the US population and growing rapidly. Diabetes is a major health issue and represents more than 245 billion dollars in costs in the U.S. annually. With this alliance, Mercer will combine its health benefits consulting capabilities and market reach with Livongo’s cloud-based diabetes management program. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“The problems surrounding diabetes for our clients and their employees are real, and growing,” said Mercer’s Dr. David Kaplan, Senior Partner and Global Clinical Leader. “These issues go beyond the enormous expenditures tied to diabetes and speak to the human toll of poorer employee health, higher absenteeism and lower productivity. We believe that Livongo Health’s diabetes management program is a groundbreaking solution that can start to help our clients win the previously losing battle with diabetes.”

The Mercer strategic alliance with Livongo Health represents one of the inaugural solutions brought to market by Mercer’s Health Innovation LABS team.  The Mercer LABS team continuously researches the healthcare landscape, evaluates emerging trends, and identifies promising solutions. The LABS team engages with innovative companies to accelerate the development of their ideas and test them with forward-thinking employers.

Livongo’s diabetes management program offers three key components: a connected glucose meter that transmits data and messaging in real-time, a smart analytics platform that provides predictive and personalized insights, and a human touch via virtual coaching from Certified Diabetes Educators (see infographic). This approach encourages more frequent blood glucose checks, provides just-in-time outreach from Certified Diabetes Educators, and automates the often cumbersome task of ordering supplies and manually tracking blood glucose readings. Most importantly, participants receive personalized, real-time information that can enable more confident self-management and improved glycemic control.

“Livongo is revolutionizing the way we treat chronic disease, beginning with diabetes.  The Livongo ecosystem, including our smart cloud and two-way interactive glucose meter, empowers people with diabetes to live better, healthier lives, today and everyday,” said Glen Tullman, Chief Executive Officer of Livongo Health. “We are excited to announce this strategic alliance with Mercer, who employers trust how to drive measurable value for their companies and better health for their employees.”