The $3.67 trillion U.S. healthcare industry is ripe for startups that can address its ballooning inefficiencies. Many are tackling one such challenge: access. A lack of insurance, skilled professionals, or cost, can limit consumer access to quality healthcare. Promising startups are addressing these problems head on.

D.C.-based Mira, for example, connects the uninsured or underinsured to doctors who can deliver care. In 2018, 28.9 million people under the age of 65 were uninsured in the United States. TalkToMira charges a predictable $99 price per visit, which covers 22 common conditions, including flu symptoms. It includes X-rays or EKG if needed. The startup has spread to 170+ clinics in 22 states with $150K in angel funding and is looking at closing a large seed round in early 2020.

Working with Quake Capital’s Austin incubator, the L.A. startup Doctours is looking to address the cost challenge by facilitating medical tourism. The booming $439 billion global market is growing at an annual rate of 25% and Doctours believes it can save clients 30 to 80% on medical procedures.

Telehealth, which addresses the access equation by bringing services to the patient, is also thriving — the category raked in $896 million in the first half of 2019. Case in point: Dallas-based Access Physicians recently closed in on $9,300,000 / Series A funding from Health Enterprise Partners.

The crowded healthcare marketplace has typically attracted more startups that involve digital health, personalized medicines or medical devices. Although the potential payoff for such ventures might be significant, layers of bureaucracy as well as potential need for FDA approval make investors skittish.

On the other hand, startups addressing healthcare access continue to gain attention from consumers. Their growth will depend on how well they can partner with healthcare professionals to deliver care.

Learn more about the healthcare space and discover more interesting healthcare startups here.