SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the face of mounting healthcare compliance complexity and an urgent need for accessible healthcare, San Francisco employers and workers now have a next-generation resolution. RokketMed, a healthcare platform that delivers affordable, transparent, and accessible care is transforming how businesses meet the healthcare needs of their diverse workforces.
“Most workers can’t afford to front healthcare costs, don’t have the time to fill out reimbursement forms, or feel overwhelmed by both the process and where to get the care they need,” said Tracy Baldwin, RokketMed founder and CEO.
Built by healthcare experts and veterans, RokketMed is designed to bypass the most prevalent pain points in U.S. healthcare: ER overcrowding, network restrictions, claim denials, hidden costs, and long wait times. RokketMed was initially developed to meet the requirements of San Francisco’s Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO), a city-wide policy that requires employers to spend a minimum amount per hour worked (capped hours) on healthcare. RokketMed aims to build on its successful history of delivering healthcare access by expanding into new territory, delivering access to care that goes beyond legal employer requirements.
“We make it very easy for workers and employers by removing friction points to ensure that HCSO dollars actually turn into usable, affordable healthcare that folks have earned and deserve,” said Baldwin. “RokketMed is delivering on the promise and intent of the ordinance in a compelling and substantive way, and our operations team delivers exceptional service, from contracting to onboarding to annual reporting.”
With a remarkable 86% utilization rate, a significantly higher rate than other HCSO and similar programs, RokketMed not only improves healthcare access but also helps address the broader crisis of medical debt, which affects 40% of American adults, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. According to company data, a full 67% of RokketMed purchases are spent directly on everyday health needs often excluded from insurance, such as dental care, vision, and over-the-counter medications, proving that workers are eager to use meaningful, preventative care benefits.
The overwhelming benefit for teams is clear: workers can easily get the care they need and avoid medical debt, and employers can focus on growing their businesses with a healthy, thriving workforce.
RokketMed’s novel model also turns healthcare compliance from a bureaucratic burden into a strategic opportunity. Designed to be seamless for both employers and workers, RokketMed delivers measurable improvements in employee health, financial stability, and employer satisfaction. The platform supports real-time compliance reporting, multilingual SMS-based communication, and proactive outreach that drives high worker engagement and utilization. Workers receive prepaid health cards that can be used for urgent care, dental, mental health, pharmacy needs, and more – no claims, networks, or insurance literacy required. With barrier-free access for undocumented, underinsured, or uninsured workers, portable benefits that move with the individual, and upfront pricing that helps reduce medical debt, RokketMed transforms compliance into a practical, trusted source of care.
Every year in RokketMed’s founding market of San Francisco, over $125 million in HCSO-designated funds go unused, often due to the friction of a confusing, reimbursement-based program built on up-front, out-of-pocket expenses. RokketMed activates those dollars to deliver human-centered, data-informed healthcare that’s personalized, portable, and built for the realities of today’s workforce.
For San Francisco businesses, RokketMed offers a scalable, retention-driving benefit that improves employee health outcomes and increases operational efficiency. By encouraging preventative care and reducing ER strain across the city, RokketMed supports public health goals, economic stability, and health equity for underserved populations. Already in use by regional icons like Wayfare Tavern, A16, Mission Hiring Hall, and Beacon Grand Hotel, and thousands of workers, RokketMed is transforming healthcare from a bureaucratic checkbox into a trust-building tool that strengthens community health at a critical time for workers and business owners alike.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a13c563-d8dc-48da-b3c0-c1065ceb31e9
