Mental Health Tech Insider: Where Technology Meets Mental and Neuro Health

Welcome to the 11th issue of Mental Health Tech Insider - your compass for navigating the intersection of technology with mental and neuro health. Whether you’re an investor, entrepreneur, advisor, or simply fascinated by the industry’s evolution, this newsletter is designed for you.

In this issue:

• Policy Update: The unlocked potential- CMS brings digital mental health into the heart of reimbursable healthcare.
• Tech Transforming Mental & Neuro Health: Meet startups transforming neuro and mental health - loneliness, mental well being, & epilepsy.
• Brain Buzzwords: Neurofeedback- can we learn to regulate our brain activity?
• The Mind Fuel Book Lounge: (Must) Reads for mind-curious thinkers.

Love, Maria

***************************************************************************************

Policy Update

The unlocked potential- CMS brings digital mental health into the heart of reimbursable healthcare.

In case you missed the news, Medicare is now covering FDA-cleared Digital Mental Health Therapeutics - DMHT. Starting January 2025, licensed mental health professionals will be able to bill Medicare for digital mental health tools, enhancing their legitimacy and broadening access for patients.?

This policy introduces three new HCPCS billing codes, making it easier and reimbursable for practitioners to integrate DMHT FDA-cleared tools (via the 510(k) or de novo) into behavioral health treatment plans. In addition, CMS will actively monitor outcomes and usage, collecting critical data to adjust? and improve future policies.?

For the tech sector, this policy creates a unique opportunity to align product innovation with real market needs and payer expectations. Startups that can prove clinical value, protect their innovations with strong IP, and clearly differentiate their products will gain a competitive edge, making them not only more attractive to investors but also set for sustainable growth.?

From an investor’s perspective, Medicare’s support is a game-changer. By bringing digital mental health tools into reimbursable healthcare, it signals that broader adoption is on the horizon, unlocking a significant market opportunity. That said, successfully investing in this space will require a clear and creative GTM plan and strategic risk management.

Tech Transforming Neuro and Mental Health

Meet startups transforming neuro and mental health - loneliness, mental well being, & epilepsy.

• Wisdo Health is solving for the silent epidemic of loneliness, one of the major threats to health and well-being.

Learn more: https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/talkspace-wisdo-health-join-forces-combat-loneliness-older-adults??

• KAI.AI brings technology to support mental well-being in the workplace.?

Read their story:? https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rjwuonmf1e

• FindNeuro is enabling a new approach to treating drug-resistant epilepsy.

Details: Meet them at MEGIN Workshop session @AES 2024

Brain Buzzwords: Key Concepts in Mental and Neuro Health??

Neurofeedback- can we learn to regulate our brain activity?

Though not new to the street, neurofeedback is a non-invasive therapeutic technique that aims to train the brain to function more efficiently by providing real-time feedback on brain activity.?By using sensors, often through EEG, neurofeedback displays brainwave patterns as visual or auditory cues that help people learn to adjust their brain's activity. The goal is to train the brain to self-regulate over time, creating lasting benefits through the brain’s natural ability to form new connections - neuroplasticity.

It is generally considered safe, non-invasive, and well-tolerated and is often used to support treatments for conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD, as well as recovery from brain injuries and strokes. Beyond medical applications, neurofeedback is gaining popularity for cognitive enhancement, helping to improve focus, memory, and sleep.?

To find out more: Neurofeedback for cognitive enhancement and intervention and brain plasticity? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34674879/

The Mind Fuel Book Lounge: Reads for mind-curious thinkers

This is where we share books that have sparked new ideas, inspired fresh perspectives, or just kept me curious about the human mind and nature.

Today, I want to share a recommendation for anyone curious to understand how our brain develops and adapts: Livewired by David Eagleman. https://eagleman.com/books/livewired/

Have you read a book recently that made you see the world differently? Drop your recommendation below, I’d love to hear it.

In a world full of tech, stay human, see human.

Love, Maria

**************************************************************************************

About the author:

I am Dr. Maria Blekher, a behavioral scientist, growth strategist, and investor with a robust background in consumer behavior and market strategies. I hold a PhD from Ben Gurion University and a postdoc at NYU, leading to my role as the founding director of the YU Innovation Lab in the heart of the NYC tech ecosystem. My expertise centers on bridging market entry gaps for startups, aligning go-to-market strategies with profound consumer behavior insights and market dynamics, and cultivating strategic partnerships. Driven by a mission to make an impact and enhance the human experience through technological innovation, my partner Avi Yaron and I are launching Serendipity Impact VC—investing in early-stage, disruptive neuro and mental health startups.