Senior officials from Apple and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna reportedly held a series of secret meetings with chief medical information officers from various U.S. hospitals earlier this month to discuss expanding Apple Watch availability for Aetna insurance customers.
Mandi Bishop, who founded the health IT startup Lifely Insights, reportedly attended the meetings, according to CNBC.
Here are four key topics Apple and Aetna officials discussed at the meeting, according to Ms. Bishop.
1. Privacy. Apple reportedly stressed health data from the Apple Watch would only be shared with external organizations if a user gives appropriate consent. "Both companies wanted to make sure that we knew what data is shared and what isn't," Ms. Bishop told CNBC.
2. Cost. A few participants asked whether Aetna would also extend free or discounted watches to employees' family members. The decision is still unclear, according to Ms. Bishop.
3. Troubleshooting. Those who have used the Apple Watch shared a few bugs in the product, which they hoped Apple would be able to solve before releasing to all Aetna customers. For example, the watch lacked "situational awareness," and might prompt a user to meditate during a conference call.
4. Impact. The majority of fitness trackers and wearables are targeted toward young, health-conscious consumers, according to CNBC. To improve outcomes for health payers like Aetna, the Apple Watch will need to attract older consumers or those with chronic diseases, along with other demographics.