Bengaluru-based employee health benefits provider Plum is undergoing a major transformation, shifting its focus from an insurtech model to a healthcare-first platform. As part of this strategic move, the company has committed an investment of ₹200 crore (approximately $25 million) over the next five years to develop a wide range of digital health services that extend beyond conventional insurance offerings.
Central to this shift is the introduction of Plum Health Checkups, an at-home diagnostic service aimed at the early detection of chronic conditions. The service features analysis of over 200 biomarkers, AI-powered health reports, and follow-up consultations with healthcare professionals, promoting a more preventive and proactive approach to employee well-being.
“This is just the beginning of our investment period here in healthcare,” said Saurabh Arora, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Plum. “We’ve been building this vertical for over a year and a half now, and last year, we grew 125 percent in healthcare alone with strong gross margins.”
The new service builds on Plum’s existing telehealth infrastructure, which currently facilitates approximately 100,000 consultations annually across 20 medical specialities. Furthermore, its diagnostic network extends to 4,000 pin codes across India, ensuring wide accessibility. In addition, the latest health checkup offering features advanced screening tools designed to detect heart disease, cancer markers, kidney conditions, and stress-related biomarkers, enhancing early diagnosis and preventive care.
“Today, chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and early-onset heart disease are showing up as early as age 35,” Arora noted. “From our health camps, we found that 71 percent of participants carried undiagnosed chronic risks.”
To spearhead its healthcare expansion, Plum has appointed Prayat Shah, the former founder of Wellthy Therapeutics. With his extensive experience in managing chronic conditions through digital health platforms and care management programs, Shah is well-positioned to lead this strategic shift. As a result, Plum aims to accelerate its transition toward a more comprehensive and preventive healthcare offering.
“We’re investing across the stack—doctors, labs, software, and care protocols,” Arora added. “We’re setting up a board of medical experts and building the product and engineering muscle to deliver a world-class digital health experience.”
Plum is funding the investment entirely through its internal resources, following its recent achievement of EBITDA profitability. This move signifies a strategic shift away from a purely insurance-focused model, with a new emphasis on preventing medical crises through proactive healthcare solutions.
“Insurance is about financial well-being during a crisis,” said Arora. “With healthcare, we want to ensure you never get to that crisis in the first place.”
According to Plum’s internal data, only 20% of Indian employers currently offer annual health checkups, while employee participation remains below 40%. In response, the company aims to reverse this trend by actively increasing employer adoption and improving employee engagement in preventive healthcare initiatives. Through this approach, Plum seeks to foster a culture of proactive health management in the workplace.
“The Indian workforce deserves better than fragmented, reactive healthcare,” said Abhishek Poddar, Plum’s Co-founder and CEO. “This commitment allows us to deliver integrated, preventive, and personalised care at scale.”
