#USA #New York #AI Healthcare #Cedar #Kora

Cedar Celebrates One Year of Kora with Remarkable Milestones

In a healthcare landscape increasingly influenced by technology, Cedar has marked a significant achievement in the first year of its AI healthcare billing agent, Kora. Since its launch in April 2025, Kora has successfully managed approximately 400,000 patient calls, demonstrating the impact of AI in streamlining healthcare communication.

Parent Company and Providers on Board

Cedar, a company focused on enhancing patient financial engagement, introduced Kora as part of its mission to simplify and improve the patient billing process. Over this past year, ten provider organizations have integrated Kora into their operations, which include notable names such as Epic and Cerner health systems, in addition to various large physician staffing groups.

The AI agent was initially crafted with the objective of automating 30% of inbound billing calls. Now, the focus has shifted towards broadening Kora's functionalities into areas like outbound patient engagement and workflow automation. This transition signals Cedar's commitment to not only tackling immediate billing inquiries but also enhancing the overall patient experience.

Successful Case Studies

A prime example of Kora's effectiveness can be observed at Gastro Health, one of the largest gastroenterology practices in the United States with over 120 locations across seven states. Implemented in September 2025, Kora has since handled over 60,000 calls for Gastro Health. The impact has been substantial: live agent handle time has decreased by 24% and call center staffing requirements have been reduced by 22%.

According to Lawrence Freni, the Chief Financial Officer of Gastro Health, "The phones are the biggest detriment to growth and patient satisfaction. Kora is making a real difference in both our cash flow and patient satisfaction. That's how you build a sustainable growth engine."

Such sentiments are echoed by various healthcare organizations leveraging Kora, with reports showing that over 80% of patients surveyed after calls expressed high satisfaction levels, which is notably higher than traditional live agent interactions.

Expanding Use Cases

Kora’s capabilities have evolved remarkably over the year. The AI agent’s growing library of use cases now includes:

• - Patient Authentication: Ensuring the security of patient interactions using HIPAA-compliant protocols.
• - Bill in Collections: Providing guidance to patients regarding collections processes.
• - Balance Inquiries: Informing patients of their outstanding balances.
• - Insurance Capture: Seamlessly capturing patient insurance details.
• - Explain My Bill: Clearly outlining the reasons behind outstanding balances and applicable insurances.
• - Outbound Collections Campaigns: Proactively reaching out to patients with outstanding balances to facilitate payment collection.
• - Spanish Language Support: Offering full-service capabilities in Spanish to cater to a wider patient demographic.

Promises of AI Realized

In reflecting on the advancements made, Florian Otto, CEO and Co-Founder of Cedar, stated, "We have heard enough about AI promises. The question is no longer whether the technology can hold a conversation. It is whether it can earn the trust of a patient asking why their bill does not match the EOB they received from their payer. After nearly 400,000 calls, the answer is yes." This affirmation highlights Kora's successful integration into healthcare billing, making it a promising facet for future scaling.

Kora's Future

Looking ahead, Cedar intends to push Kora further into the revenue cycle, addressing historical challenges in staffing shortages and high operational costs. Kora is designed to augment human judgment by being HIPAA-compliant and is powered by Cedar Intelligence, an advanced AI decision-making engine specialized for healthcare billing. In a sector where labor represents roughly 60% of hospital expenses, utilizing AI solutions like Kora could provide significant cost-saving opportunities.

As Kora celebrates its first anniversary, the focus will now shift to expanding its role further into the healthcare financial experience, enhancing both provider efficiency and patient satisfaction. Cedar’s objective remains steadfast: to refine the patient financial engagement process, ultimately enabling smooth, empathetic interactions that foster trust and understanding.