Chapter, a Medicare startup with links to Vance, Thiel, and Ramaswamy, just raised a round at $1.5B valuation

Tech Crunch - Apr 16th, 2025

Chapter, a Medicare advisory startup co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, successfully closed a $75 million funding round, achieving a valuation of $1.5 billion. The investment was led by private equity firm Stripes. Chapter stands out by prioritizing client needs over insurer profits in helping seniors select Medicare health plans based on various factors like doctors and prescription drug coverage. The company has seen significant political figures involved, with Naraya, founded by Vice President J.D. Vance, leading its Series A round in 2020. After Vance resigned from the board to run for Senate, Peter Thiel took over his position but has since stepped down, making way for Democrat Donna Shalala, former Secretary of Health and Human Services and U.S. Congresswoman, to join the board.

Shalala's appointment marks an interesting cross-party collaboration within Chapter, as the company distances itself from political affiliations, focusing instead on its mission to enhance Medicare advisory services. Her involvement highlights the company's broader appeal and commitment to nonpartisan goals. The funding and leadership changes underscore Chapter’s growing influence and the potential impact on the Medicare advisory industry, as it continues to bridge the gap between healthcare needs and policy, emphasizing a user-first approach in a sector often criticized for prioritizing profits over patient care.

Vivek Ramaswamy Medicare J.D. Vance Peter Thiel Private Equity Donna Shalala Healthcare Startups Chapter Stripes

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.0

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a generally accurate and timely account of Chapter's recent funding and board changes, with a high level of clarity and readability. It successfully balances perspectives, presenting both political and business angles, although it could benefit from a broader range of sources and more detailed transparency regarding its claims. While the story is relevant to public interest and timely, its impact and engagement potential are moderate, as it lacks interactive elements and in-depth analysis. Overall, the article offers a well-structured overview of Chapter's developments, with room for improvement in source quality and transparency.

Accuracy

The news story provides a generally accurate account of Chapter's recent funding round and associated events. The claim that Chapter raised $75 million at a $1.5 billion valuation is supported by multiple sources. Additionally, the involvement of Stripes as the lead investor is documented. However, some claims, such as Peter Thiel's resignation from the board and Donna Shalala's commentary, are not directly verified by the sources. Despite these minor gaps, the story largely aligns with available data, reflecting a high level of factual accuracy.

Balance

The story attempts to maintain balance by presenting information about Chapter's funding and board changes without overt bias. It includes perspectives from different political affiliations, highlighting Donna Shalala's comments on the company's non-political nature. However, the story could benefit from additional viewpoints, such as insights from other board members or industry analysts, to provide a more comprehensive picture of Chapter's market position and strategic direction.

Clarity

The article is well-structured and uses clear language to communicate the core developments around Chapter's funding and board changes. It logically presents the sequence of events and includes relevant background information about key individuals involved. The tone remains neutral, aiding comprehension and ensuring that the information is accessible to a general audience.

Source quality

The story references credible sources such as Bloomberg for Donna Shalala's statements, which adds to its reliability. However, it lacks explicit attribution for some claims, such as the specific details of the funding round and board changes. The reliance on a limited number of sources may affect the depth of reporting, suggesting the need for a broader range of authoritative voices to strengthen the narrative.

Transparency

The article provides some context about Chapter's operations and recent developments, but it lacks detailed explanations of its information sources. The absence of clear citations for certain claims, such as Peter Thiel's board activities, limits transparency. Additionally, the story does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest or biases that could influence the reporting, which could enhance reader trust.