Dive Brief:

• Express Scripts revealed the companies in its first formulary of digital and mobile health apps and devices Thursday, selecting 15 products from a review of more than 70.

• The pharmacy benefit manager said Livongo, Omada Health and Propeller Health are among the companies to win spots on the formulary.

• Express Scripts presented the formulary as a way for health plans and employers to access digital health products that have been vetted for effectiveness, security and value.

Dive Insight:

The rapid emergence of the digital health field has created a sea of products claiming to improve the lives of patients. However, the breadth of options and lack of independent validation of them has created challenges for health plans and employers, which can struggle to access information to make informed choices about what products to make available to their members.

Express Scripts outlined its plans for the formulary in May. This week, Express Scripts shared details of the 15 products that will be on the formulary when it goes live next month.

Livongo's diabetes, diabetes prevention and hypertension products have preferred status on the formulary. Omada Health, a rival to Livongo, has products covering exactly the same indications on the formulary. The diabetes piece of the formulary also features the LifeScan OneTouch Reveal Plus, a mobile app that uses Welldoc technology to offer personalized coaching. 

Express Scripts also gave ResMed-subsidiary Propeller Health a place on the formulary, making its products the only option for patients who want a digital health device to help manage their asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. To gain experience with the service, Express Scripts pharmacists specializing in pulmonary disease supported a Propeller Health program that linked remote monitoring to an 82% drop in use of rescue inhalers.​

Individuals who need mental health platforms for support with depression, anxiety and insomnia have two options, Learn to Live and SilverCloud Health. Both products are designed to improve access to cognitive behavioral therapy.

Express Scripts said it picked those products from an initial pool of more than 70 apps and devices. The PBM used a four-stage process to whittle the initial pool down to the final 15 products. The process assessed each product's clinical effectiveness, user experience, security and privacy compliance and value and affordability.