New York-based company unveils agentic AI for healthcare billing

There are a few things that inspire more dread than a billing call. But now, healthcare providers might finally have a cure for that too. Cedar, the go-to tech company for patient billing, has just rolled out Kora, an AI-powered voice agent trained specifically for healthcare conversations. It's already live at ApolloMD, and early signs point to real relief: fewer calls, lower costs, and happier patients.

"We've heard enough about AI promises. What matters now is delivering real outcomes," said Florian Otto, CEO and co-founder of Cedar. This isn't just another chatbot with a new coat of paint. Kora is the first of its kind — built from the ground up to understand the mess that is healthcare billing and handle it with grace.

How does it work?

Here's what sets Kora apart from your average IVR robot:

• It talks like a person: Kora understands natural speech, picks up on tone and mood, and can respond like a human. No rigid menus or awkward delays.
• It actually helps: Whether it's breaking down confusing charges, suggesting payment plans, or connecting someone with financial aid, Kora handles it without missing a beat.
• It plays well with others: Built on Twilio's ConversationRelay tech, it integrates real-time speech recognition and smart interruption handling — meaning patients can just talk, and Kora listens.
• It's safe and sound: With HIPAA compliance baked in, plus support for multiple languages and emotional nuance, it's designed to protect privacy while offering a warm voice at the other end of the line.

If Kora hits its target, it'll be resolving 30% of all patient billing calls by the end of next year — without a single hold tone in sight.

Why does it matter?

Let's face it: the healthcare system's under siege. Rising labor costs, burnt-out staff, and patients expecting better service — it's all piling up. Call centers are stretched thin. And patients are tired of waiting 40 minutes just to ask why they were billed twice.

Dr. Yogin Patel, CEO of ApolloMD, isn't mincing words. "From spiraling costs and resource shortages to escalating patient expectations, clinicians are facing immense pressure from all directions," he said. "Kora enables our teams to dedicate more time to complex patient needs. This powerful blend of efficiency and empathy is transforming the way we deliver care."

In a nutshell:

• Fewer calls mean lower operational costs.
• Faster resolutions improve patient satisfaction.
• Human agents can focus on tricky cases, not routine billing.

It's a win-win — and it's long overdue.

The context

Healthcare billing in the U.S. and some other parts of the world isn't just messy — it's downright broken. Patients are often confused, overwhelmed, and left waiting for help that never comes. And the people on the other side of the line? Overworked and under-resourced.

Kora steps into this chaos like a calm, helpful guide. Not a replacement for humans, but a much-needed assistant. "By leveraging Cedar's deep revenue cycle and patient billing expertise, we've built AI that patients trust and that works for providers," Otto added. The key, he says, is empathy — something that's often lost in automation.

Andy O'Dower from Twilio backed that up: "Conversational AI, especially when leveraging contextual data, is revolutionizing the way organizations and their end users can communicate across channels."

Cedar's betting big on that revolution. And if Kora continues on its current path, billing calls might just become... bearable.