UC Berkeley alumna Amy Fan launches telemedicine company in California

Twentyeight Health, a telemedicine company co-founded by UC Berkeley alumna Amy Fan in December of 2018, is set to launch its services in California Tuesday. Deemed one of the Most Disruptive MBA Startups of 2020 and one of the Best Birth Control Delivery Services of 2021, Twentyeight Health aims to provide women from underserved communities with access to sexual and reproductive care, according to Fan. Twentyeight Health offers birth control pills, patches, rings, shots and emergency contraception prescriptions and delivery, Fan added. The company currently reaches eight different states and is looking to expand the services they provide and the number of states they provide to. “Our mission is to dramatically increase access to high-quality and affordable telemedicine services for women’s sexual and reproductive care,” Fan said in an email. “As the nation’s most populous state, launching in California is very much in line with Twentyeight Health’s mission.” During her time at UC Berkeley, Fan pursued a Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health dual degree, or MBA/MPH. She also had the opportunity to participate in two internships which allowed her to gain experience in digital health and biotech, two trendsetting aspects of health care. While she was co-founding Twentyeight Health, Kim MacPherson, the executive director of the MBA/MPH dual degree program, helped connect her with healthcare venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. She found their suggestions to be valuable as Twentyeight Health is a venture-backed business. “I loved my time at UC Berkeley, and am always looking to give back. Particularly for any aspiring entrepreneurs reading this piece,” Fan said in an email. “I encourage them to reach out!” Fan said due to the fact that low-income women in the United States are three times more likely to have unplanned pregnancies than the average women and nearly one-third of physicians nationwide are not accepting new Medicaid patients, offering high-quality reproductive care is “more important than ever.” According to the Twentyeight Health website, the company serves those between the ages of 16 and 49 years old who are looking for a “personalized and convenient way to access birth control.” Those who identify as non-binary or transgender with an intact uterus are also welcome to sign up for Twentyeight Health care services. Twentyeight Health was first launched in California because the state is United States’ most populous state. The company is now available in eight other states — Florida, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. Users can sign up for services by filling out an online medical questionnaire which would then be reviewed by a U.S. board-certified doctor within 24 hours, according to the website. Additionally, users can access online audio consultations and message doctors without an extra fee. The company also provides unlimited messaging with doctors for follow-ups, which allows patients to update prescriptions and discuss side effects, the website adds. “There are a lot of telemedicine companies out there that are trying to expand access to a variety of care services,” Fan said in an email. “As Twentyeight continues to grow, we’ll continue to do everything possible to make birth control accessible and affordable—regardless of our customers’ income bracket, job status, or insurance provider.”