SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Mark Newman, founder and chief executive officer of Nomi Health, believes the path to a more affordable and accessible health care system runs directly through the nation’s pharmacies.
“Pharmacies are the most accessible touchpoint in American health care,” Newman told Chain Drug Review. “If we can bring lab testing, behavioral health, urgent care and chronic disease management closer to where people already are, costs fall and adherence rises. The community pharmacy becomes a front door to a better health system.”
Pharmacies as care hubs
Nomi Health, founded in 2019, has built a direct-pay model that connects providers with employers and local governments, bypassing layers of intermediaries. For Newman, the expansion of services at retail pharmacies is the natural extension of that mission.
“Pharmacies are where health care happens in real life, in real communities,” he said. “We see them as the most practical place to deliver preventive care, chronic care support, and essential services at scale. That is why pharmacies are central to our strategy.”
He pointed to conditions like diabetes and hypertension, where local access can change outcomes. “If someone can get testing supplies, counseling and prescriptions at their neighborhood pharmacy without waiting weeks for an appointment, they are far more likely to stay on track with treatment,” Newman said.
Employer demand for pharmacy-based solutions
Employers, Newman noted, are pushing for care models that combine affordability with convenience.
“Employers want predictability and employees want affordability,” he explained. “Our model delivers both, and pharmacies are the partners that make it work in practice. They are open evenings and weekends, they are in every community, and they already have trust with patients.”
Nomi has worked with school districts, municipalities and private companies to design benefits packages that steer employees toward pharmacy-based services. “What employers see is that when care is delivered locally through pharmacies, absenteeism drops and outcomes improve. It is a win-win.”
Direct-pay infrastructure
The company’s payments platform enables employers and governments to contract directly with providers, eliminating intermediaries and reducing costs.
“In the same way fintech reinvented how payments move, we are reinventing how dollars flow through health care,” Newman said. “By removing unnecessary friction, we can reduce costs by double digits and redirect those savings into better benefits.”
He added that pharmacies are ideally positioned to operate within this model. “They have the footprint, the workforce and the trust. What they need is a financial model that rewards them for keeping people healthier. That is what we are building.”
Looking ahead
Newman views the pharmacy as a foundation for health care transformation over the next decade.
“The opportunity is enormous,” he said. “Patients want care that is local, simple and affordable. Pharmacies are uniquely positioned to meet that demand. They will be the front door to a system that is more transparent, more accountable and more sustainable.”
He concluded that the momentum is already visible. “Employers are ready, patients are ready, and pharmacies are ready. By aligning those forces, we can finally create a health care system that works for everyone.”
