STAT+: Inside a $7 billion Silicon Valley startup’s mad dash to automate the business of health care

Commure, founded in 2020 and now valued at $7 billion, set out to build a new operating system for health care, promising to use artificial intelligence to shift power and money from large insurers back to doctors. CEO Tanay Tandon framed the company as a Robin Hood figure, saying he would love a world where the market cap of a UnitedHealth is a fifth but every doctor is a millionaire. The company says its tools are used by more than 500 healthcare organizations, including 130 of the nation's largest health systems such as HCA Healthcare and Tenet Healthcare.

A STAT investigation found that Commure offers thousands of dollars in various forms of compensation to medical clinics and other parties who refer its products to new business prospects. This referral incentive is part of a strategy to rapidly sell AI tools designed to unburden clinicians from administrative tasks. Meanwhile, some customers report suffering steep financial losses and other negative outcomes, even as many others praise the products for restoring joy and reliable revenue.

The company maintains that its referral programs are industry standard and that the vast majority of its hundreds of customers are happy with its products and services. The investigation highlights the broader challenge of evaluating AI products that directly impact the cost and quality of health care, especially when customizable financial incentives are used to speed adoption across diverse clinical settings.