Perx Health and EngageWell IPA today announced a new partnership to support improved health outcomes for New Yorkers with HIV, with a focus on those who are Medicaid-insured or lack insurance. In just 4 days after launching the program enrolled 100% of its target cohort, making it Perx Health’s fastest enrolling program to date.

The program focuses on improving medication adherence and closing care gaps by combining Perx Health’s digital engagement platform with on-the-ground support from four trusted community-based providers: Harlem United, La Casa de Salud, Housing Works, and The Alliance for Positive Change.

Participants earn small daily rewards like grocery gift cards for completing health tasks, taking their medications and attending appointments, helping reinforce healthy habits without stigma or judgment.

“Many of the people we serve face housing instability, stigma, and systemic barriers to care: not because they’re unreachable, but because the system hasn’t reached them in the right way,” said Christopher Joseph, Executive Director of EngageWell IPA.

“There’s a common misconception that people experiencing economic hardship don’t use smartphones, when in fact they’re simply left out of most care innovations. We believe user-friendly digital tools, delivered by trusted providers, can transform how people manage chronic conditions and stay connected to care.”

Tailored for Medicaid recipients and uninsured individuals who often experience barriers like trauma, low digital literacy, and chronic illness, the program’s content and communications are intentionally user-friendly, affirming, and stigma-free. Patients get support from the Perx app every day, while case managers support longer, monthly check-ins.

“This is what high-touch, tech-enabled care can look like,” said Scott Taylor, CEO of Perx Health. “People don’t want to be monitored: they want to feel motivated, and they want to be seen. When you make it easy, safe, and rewarding to look after their own health, they show up for themselves.”

The launch comes at a time when Medicaid programs across the country are grappling with funding cuts and renewed pressure to deliver outcomes with limited resources. This collaboration offers a new model: low-cost, community-driven digital tools that actually work for hard-to-reach or complex populations.

Early signs show strong daily engagement and adherence, key predictors of improved HIV outcomes like viral suppression and reduced ER visits. If results hold, EngageWell plans to expand the program to other chronic conditions across its network.