It’s hard to recall a deal that scrambled the dynamics of the health tech industry more than Teladoc Health’s proposed $18.5 billion buyout of Livongo.
The agreement, announced on Wednesday, is expected to create a digital health behemoth that combines Teladoc’s telemedicine platform with Livongo’s chronic disease coaching programs — and brings in a huge number of patient users and insurer and employer customers in the process.
The deal comes as the pandemic has been fueling unprecedented demand for virtual care — and as federal regulators have been issuing a flurry of orders and legislative proposals to make it easier for patients to access care without having to go into the doctor’s office.
