Expansion to Include Teletherapy, Psychiatry and Medication Management
Behavioral Health Offering to be Led by Industry Veteran Julian Cohen
NEW YORK, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LifeMD, Inc. (Nasdaq: LFMD), a leading provider of virtual primary care services, today announced its expansion into the behavioral health market. This strategic move broadens LifeMD’s service offerings to include teletherapy, psychiatry and medication management for common mental health conditions.
LifeMD’s behavioral health offering will be led by Julian Cohen, who joins the company as Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health & Clinical Operations. Mr. Cohen brings over 30 years of experience as a senior executive in the medical and behavioral health industries. In his new role, he will oversee clinical operations for all LifeMD services and products and guide the expansion of LifeMD’s mental health services, ensuring accessible, high-quality care for patients nationwide.
“Julian brings deep expertise, proven leadership and a passion for improving patient access to quality medical care and improving clinical outcomes,” said Justin Schreiber, Chairman and CEO of LifeMD. “With his track record of successfully launching and scaling mental health programs, I am confident in his ability to lead LifeMD’s entry into behavioral health. As we continue to strengthen our position in virtual healthcare, this expansion allows us to integrate critical mental health services—including psychotherapy and psychiatry—into our holistic care approach.”
Schreiber continued, “The need for affordable, accessible behavioral healthcare is more urgent than ever. Our goal is to remove barriers to mental health services by expanding insurance coverage across both commercial and government payers. With this initiative, we look forward to improving access to care and better serving our growing patient base.”
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 59.3 million U.S. adults—one in five—were living with a mental illness in 2022. However, only 50.6% received mental health treatment. Young adults aged 18 to 25 had the highest prevalence of mental health conditions, at 36.2%. Additionally, research suggests that 20% to 60% of individuals who are obese or severely obese experience a psychiatric illness, further highlighting the need for integrated care solutions.
“LifeMD and its various brands are well established and highly regarded in the burgeoning telehealth sector and provide an excellent foundation upon which to serve a growing number of patients with an expanded clinical service offering,” commented Mr. Cohen. “With highly competitive private-pay offerings and strong expansion of third-party payer coverage, the time is right for LifeMD to fortify its position with new services, including comprehensive psychiatry and teletherapy offerings that address common mental health conditions.”
Mr. Cohen brings to LifeMD more than 30 years of experience as a senior executive in the healthcare industry. Most recently, he was Chief Clinical Services Officer at UpLift, a virtual behavioral health company delivering in-network therapy and psychiatry services. Prior to that, he served as the first Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health at Hims where he developed and launched both psychiatry and therapy direct-to-consumer services, and as the initial President of Teladoc Behavioral Health where he launched and scaled its behavioral health services.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Cohen co-founded and served as CEO of Breakthrough Behavioral, a provider of teletherapy and psychiatry services that was later acquired by MDLive. His executive leadership experience also includes roles in the insurance industry, where he served as CEO of Cigna Behavioral Health, Chief Revenue Officer at United Behavioral Health and Vice President of Business & Strategic Development at WellCare Health Plans.
Mr. Cohen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
About LifeMD, Inc.
LifeMD® is a leading provider of virtual primary care. LifeMD offers telemedicine, access to laboratory and pharmacy services, and specialized treatment across more than 200 conditions, including primary care, men’s and women’s health, weight management, and hormone therapy. The Company leverages a vertically integrated, proprietary digital care platform, a 50-state affiliated medical group, a 22,500-square-foot affiliated pharmacy, and a U.S.-based patient care center to increase access to high-quality and affordable care. For more information, please visit LifeMD.com.
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Investor Contact Marc Benathen, Chief Financial Officer marc@lifemd.com
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