Building the infrastructure for community-based care: Our investment in Pear Suite

Community health workers (CHWs), doulas, and other community-based providers are playing an increasingly vital role in the U.S. healthcare system. Recent policy changes, including expanded Medicaid coverage for CHW and doula services and new Medicare reimbursement for community health integration, have created fresh opportunities for these providers to be compensated for the critical work they perform. Yet most lack the infrastructure to navigate billing and reimbursement, leaving much of this potential untapped.

Pear Suite provides the technology and infrastructure that community health workers and doulas need to do their best work helping patients. Its SaaS platform and provider network enable independent providers to deliver care, document outcomes, and bill payers directly for covered services. In doing so, Pear Suite helps them get paid for work they are already performing—often funded by short-term grants today. Today, Pear Suite supports more than 300 provider organizations and empowers over 2,500 CHWs, promotores, doulas, and other frontline workers.

Health plans partner with Pear Suite because of the proven impact that community health workers create for their members. As payer demand for the services provided by Pear Suite’s network of providers has increased, so too has the value of the platform to CHWs who can access more referrals and reimbursement from payers. Colby Takeda and Nick Lockett, Pear Suite’s co-founders, have done a fantastic job executing on this flywheel, transforming it from a promising vision into a proven, scalable model.

There is, of course, an elephant in the room when it comes to Medicaid. At Rock Health Capital, we see ongoing policy shifts as a powerful tailwind for Pear Suite—even at a time when Medicaid is under pressure. Community-based providers need reliable revenue streams more than ever as grant funding has become less predictable. And the need for their services is only growing, as policy changes risk leaving more Medicaid members without the support they need. Pear Suite’s platform equips community-based providers to adapt by billing for reimbursable services and continue closing critical care gaps.

Given the critical importance of their mission and momentum, we’re excited to share that Rock Health Capital has co-led Pear Suite’s Series A alongside Nexxus Holdings, with support from Mucker Capital, Enable Ventures, The SCAN Foundation, Acumen America, Impact Engine, and the California Health Care Foundation. This follow-on investment builds on our ongoing partnership with Pear Suite and reflects our continued belief in the company’s mission and execution. We’re excited to support the team as they scale their impact.

Learn more about how Pear Suite is helping CHWs and payers drive better outcomes, or schedule a demo with the team here.

Rock Health Capital is an early-stage venture fund focused on digital health. We would love to hear from you. Get in touch!