New investors Jumpstart Nova & Elevate Capital join existing investors; reflects growing market conviction that affordable care is an imperative, not a luxury
PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, July 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — medZERO, the healthcare financial wellness platform that enables employees and health plan members to access on-demand, interest-free financing for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, today announced the successful close of a new investment round. The financing includes continued participation from existing investors True Ventures, Grand Ventures, Capital Eleven, and Riverwalk Capital, alongside new investors Jumpstart Nova and Elevate Capital. The capital will support expansion of the company’s team, increased lending capacity, accelerated growth through employer and strategic distribution partnerships, and continued investment in products that make healthcare more affordable and accessible.
THE PROBLEM IS BIGGER THAN MOST EMPLOYERS REALIZE
Healthcare costs in the United States have grown at roughly three times the rate of wages and five times the rate of general inflation over the past two decades. For the average American family, annual out-of-pocket and premium costs now exceed $10,000, in many cases consuming upward of 15-20% of take-home pay.
The consequences ripple far beyond household budgets.
– Fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford the care they need. (Gallup/West Health, 2026)
– 40% of people who get insurance through an employer have trouble affording healthcare. (HR Executive, 2026)
– According to data from the KFF Health Tracking Poll, nearly half of insured adults deferred or skipped care last year due to cost.
– In 2024, roughly 30 million Americas borrowed an estimated $74 billion to pay for healthcare. (Gallup, 2025)
– 6% of Vanguard customers have taken hardship withdrawals from their 401k in 2025 and 31% of those withdrawals were used for medical expenses. (Fortune, 2026)
These are not edge cases. They represent a critical gap in how the American benefits system is operating. This gap means employers face higher absenteeism, reduced productivity, elevated turnover, and worsening workforce health. Financially stressed employees are six times more likely to leave their employer, according to research from PwC and SHRM. Financial stress contributes to an estimated 30 days of lost productivity per worker per year and the cost of deferred care alone can run up to 5% of employer payroll annually.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF BENEFIT
medZERO was built to close this gap. The medZERO healthcare financial wellness platform gives every eligible employee secure, on-demand access to funds (up to $5,000) to cover qualified out-of-pocket healthcare expenses across medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, behavioral health, fertility, and even pet health. There are zero credit checks, zero interest, and zero fees for employees. Repayment can be automated through payroll deduction or ACH, and for employees with a Health Savings Account payments are made pre-tax, generating savings of up to 30% for both the employee and the employer.
The model is simple by design: employees download the medZERO app, request the amount they need, receive instant approval, and pay at the point of care using a one-time virtual card. Providers are paid in full. Employers carry no financial risk for unpaid balances or missed payments. Implementation requires no changes to existing benefits plan design.
The platform works with any health plan and any provider regardless of whether they are in-network or out-of-network. For employers, the math is straightforward: medZERO costs less than the productivity and retention losses it prevents.
“Healthcare costs have outpaced wages for decades. The result is a workforce that is insured but not protected; people who have benefits on paper but cannot access them in practice. medZERO exists to fix that. This investment allows us to expand our reach and impact via employers and partners, deepen our capital capacity, and continue building the infrastructure that makes affordable healthcare access sustainable at scale. The investors backing us understand not just the business opportunity, but the urgency of the problem we are solving.” — Craig Froude, CEO and Co-Founder, medZERO
“medZERO is solving a healthcare problem that impacts millions of American workers. The opportunity for a solution is significant, but what drew us to this investment is the mission alignment: a product that makes healthcare genuinely accessible and affordable while building a sustainable, scalable business. We’re proud to deepen our commitment alongside a strong group of investors.” — Nitin Rai, Founder & Managing Partner, Elevate Capital
ABOUT medZERO
medZERO is a leading provider of employee benefit solutions designed to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and equitable. Through the healthcare financial wellness benefit, employees gain on-demand access to funds to pay their out-of-pocket care costs with zero credit checks, zero interest, and zero fees. Repayment is made through ACH or payroll deduction, and for users with Health Savings Accounts, medZERO payments are pre-tax, allowing savings of up to 30%. medZERO works with any health plan, any provider, and any HSA. The company was founded by leaders in healthcare, wellness benefits, and financial services. For more information, visit www.medZERO.com.
Craig Froude
medZERO
pr@medzero.com
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