Essence Healthcare and ŌURA Deepen Partnership, to Bring Sleep Health Insights Directly into Physician-Led Care

New clinical workflow helps Essence, owned by the developer of Tom™, connects Oura Ring
insights to physician-lead care and helps move its wearable benefit from wellness support to
proactive clinical engagement 

ST. LOUIS, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Essence Healthcare, a consistently high-quality Medicare Advantage plan owned by the developer of Tom™, today announced a new clinical workflow that uses nighttime breathing insights from ŌURA, maker of the world's leading smart ring, Oura Ring, to help physicians proactively identify members who may be at risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common but often underdiagnosed condition that can affect heart health, energy, cognition and overall quality of life.

This new workflow marks an important evolution for Essence members who receive Oura Ring as part of their plan benefit, available through certain Essence plans. What began as a member wellness benefit is now being connected directly to clinical care, giving physicians a clearer view of potential health concerns that may emerge between office visits. It also reflects the next milestone in Essence's partnership with Oura — from launching Oura Ring as a covered supplemental benefit to building the enrollment and data-sharing infrastructure behind it, and now to expanding what a wearable benefit can mean for Medicare Advantage members and the physicians who care for them.

The workflow brings together Oura sleep and breathing disturbances insights, Lumeris' Tom™ platform and physician-led clinical review. With the user's consent, when a higher number of nighttime breathing disturbances is identified, that information is shared with Essence. Essence then uses Tom to support personalized outreach via text notifications, including letting members know a phone call will follow. Tom then guides members through STOP-BANG, an evidence-based screening questionnaire commonly used to assess obstructive sleep apnea risk.

Results are shared with the member's physician to support review and follow-up. The physician remains at the center of the process, determining whether a sleep study, treatment pathway or another next step is appropriate.

"Essence members deserve benefits that are practical, personal and connected to their care," said Dr. Saria Saccocio, chief medical officer of Essence Healthcare. "By connecting Oura    nighttime breathing insights to a physician-led clinical workflow, we can help identify members who may be at risk for sleep apnea earlier and give their doctors better information to guide follow-up. For a Medicare Advantage plan, that means using technology to support more proactive care, stronger physician decision-making and better member health."

For participating members, the experience is designed to be simple and proactive. Oura continuously monitors sleep and nighttime breathing patterns, and when it detects a higher number of breathing disturbances, Essence works in the background to help identify potential concerns and connect that information to the member's physician when further screening or follow-up may be needed.

"This is a practical way to bring health signals from daily life into the care process," Saccocio said. "It gives physicians more continuous sight into a member's health and helps create opportunities for earlier conversations, earlier evaluation and better care."

"Wearable health technology is helping people better understand what is happening in their bodies every day including patterns in their sleep and nighttime breathing," said Jason Oberfest, vice president of healthcare, Oura. "By embedding Oura sleep and nighttime breathing insights into a physician-led clinical workflow, Essence is creating a real path from awareness to care for the members they serve, and we are proud to deepen this partnership to help bring that to life."

Oura Ring benefit is available only through select Essence Healthcare plans. Benefits, features and availability may vary by plan and service area.

About Essence Healthcare
Essence Healthcare provides over 60,000 people with comprehensive and affordable Medicare health insurance that focuses on wellness, care coordination and personal service. Essence's Medicare Advantage plans offer complete hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage and include additional benefits not covered under the Original Medicare program. Powered by the nation's leading population health services and technology of Lumeris, Essence is earning national recognition for its commitment to service and quality, including being consistently highly rated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. For 2026, Essence's Medicare Advantage plans are available in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Indiana. To learn more about Essence Healthcare, please visit EssenceHealthcare.com.

Essence Healthcare includes HMO and PPO plans with Medicare contracts. Enrollment in Essence Healthcare depends on contract renewal. Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system.

About ŌURA
ŌURA delivers personalized health data, insights, and daily guidance with Oura Ring, the leading smart ring that helps you live healthier, longer. Guided by a mission to shift healthcare from sick care to prevention, Oura supports millions of members worldwide across sleep, activity, stress, readiness, women's health, and heart health. Scientifically validated against medical gold standards, the lightweight Oura Ring tracks 50+ health metrics continuously, empowering both individuals and thousands of research teams, healthcare providers, and organizations. With 1,200+ partners across wellness and medicine, Oura is advancing the future of preventative health.

Founded in Finland in 2013, ŌURA is headquartered in San Francisco with E.U. headquarters in Oulu, Finland.

Oura Ring is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, monitor, or prevent medical conditions or illnesses.

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SOURCE Essence Healthcare