Last month, the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2025 Conference and HLTH Inc.‘s HLTH 2025 provided great opportunities to catch up in person with existing and prospective clients and to explore some of the exciting innovations in healthcare, from digital health breakthroughs to the latest in genomics.
Here are a few takeaways that really stuck with us:
1. The next generation is nailing it
There’s nothing like seeing fresh faces light up the HLTH stage for the first time. Evan Jackson from our client IntusCare nailed it when asked, “What’s next in technology?” His answer: “Invisible.” Simple. Brilliant. And exactly what healthcare innovation is moving toward: technology that works so seamlessly you barely notice it.
2. Optimism, despite the hurdles
Executives at both conferences were cautiously optimistic. Growth and partnership opportunities are alive and well. Funding? Still skewed toward bigger, later-stage deals. But that makes us wonder—will we see a rebound in early-stage investments soon, like the $7.6M Series A our longstanding client Pear Suite landed earlier this month? Maybe the next wave of breakthrough ideas is just waiting for the right backing.
3. Who’s going to pay for all this healthcare?
HLTH made it clear this question isn’t going away. Christina Farr shared some insightful hot takes on this here, including that the average American family is spending $27,000 on insurance before co-pays and deductibles, and that employers’ medical spending is increasing by more than 10%. But here’s the silver lining: innovators are starting to chip away at costs. Whether through preventive programs, smarter tech, or efficiency gains, many of the companies we work with are finding ways to help the system work better—and cheaper—for everyone.
4. Expanding access to genetic sequencing — and advancing precision medicine
Coming off the heels of ASHG, Baylor Genetics announced its support for Medi-Cal’s (California’s Medicaid) decision to begin covering whole genome sequencing as of November 1, 2025. This landmark coverage expands access to WGS for patients across California and brings the total number of Medicaid programs offering WGS coverage to 30 states and Puerto Rico. With nearly 15 million enrollees, California has the highest Medicaid enrollment in the country, making this decision especially significant for expanding equitable access to advanced genomic testing.
And this week, Baylor Genetics announced a multi-year national contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing and germline genetic testing—including hereditary cancer testing—to veterans nationwide. This reinforces the broader trend of precision diagnostics entering large, diverse patient populations and demonstrates a commitment to delivering personalized care for those who’ve served.
Together, these announcements show how payer coverage and provider partnerships are aligning to deliver genetic-driven care at scale, reinforcing that access, equity, and innovation are advancing in tandem.
Wrapping up, what hits us most is this: the energy, creativity, and drive at these conferences are contagious. The healthcare and genomics space is evolving fast, and the people shaping that future are exactly the ones we should be paying attention to—and at SVM, we’re always proud to work alongside them to advance and support their vital missions.
