In San Francisco, known for its vibrant dining scene, restaurant workers often face significant barriers to accessing basic healthcare. This includes cooks, servers, dishwashers, and bar staff, who play a crucial role in the industry yet frequently miss out on essential employer-sponsored benefits.
To address these challenges, RokketMed has emerged as a transformative healthcare platform designed to streamline access for staff in restaurants, cafés, and similar establishments. The platform also helps navigate the complexities of the city’s Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO).
Instead of relying on workers to pay upfront and seek reimbursement for medical expenses—which can lead to deferring care—RokketMed provides prepaid health cards and upfront pricing. These features minimize the bureaucratic hurdles that traditionally plague healthcare access, ensuring that restaurant employees can receive care without financial strain.
As Tracy Baldwin, the founder and CEO of RokketMed, states, “Most workers can’t afford to pay out-of-pocket prior to getting reimbursed and therefore seek non-emergency care in the emergency room, or worse, avoid care altogether.”
Baldwin’s approach focuses on simplicity. “We make it easy. Our healthcare system is complicated and time-consuming to understand. RokketMed reduces reimbursement hassles and out-of-pocket financial barriers by loading tax-exempt, employer-funded dollars onto health cards and offering workers local, transparently priced care through a self-service digital marketplace,” she explains.
Employees can utilize any healthcare provider that accepts credit cards, and RokketMed facilitates communication in multiple languages through SMS, enhancing engagement among diverse worker populations.
The platform has gained traction with some of the Bay Area’s acclaimed dining establishments, including A16, Gary Danko, SPQR, and Tadich Grill, among others.
For operators such as 7 Hills Restaurant, Blue Barn, and Perry’s, RokketMed alleviates administrative burdens while enabling staff to easily access urgent care, dental visits, mental health resources, and general healthcare needs.
Baldwin highlights that nearly 5,000 workers across San Francisco now have access to RokketMed through their employers. Among the growing list of partners are Giorgio’s Pizza, Miller & Lux, Wayfare Tavern, and Noe Valley Bakery.
“Employers are drawn to RokketMed because it is more than just a financial tool; it is a platform conceptualized by a former nurse aiming to modernize healthcare access,” Baldwin notes. “This platform embodies the original vision of San Francisco’s Health Care Security Ordinance, transforming compliance into tangible access for the city’s hourly-wage workforce.”
Moreover, utilizing RokketMed fosters a healthier workforce and improved morale, translating into enhanced staff retention—a critical factor in an industry known for high turnover rates.
Insufficient healthcare access has long afflicted hospitality workers not only in San Francisco but across the nation. Many gig, hourly, and immigrant workers are often excluded from conventional benefits and healthcare solutions.
Baldwin emphasizes that RokketMed is designed to bridge this gap. “Gig and hourly workers are often excluded from traditional employer-sponsored benefits,” she affirms. “Unlike conventional models, RokketMed is tailored for underserved workforces. Our prepaid health cards ensure barrier-free access for undocumented or underinsured workers. The model ties health contributions to hours worked, making it adaptable for part-time and seasonal roles, while our communication via SMS accommodates workers in their preferred language.”
Beyond the constraints of San Francisco’s regulations, businesses can also establish Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) to offer tax-free benefits to their entire staff.
RokketMed’s innovative framework ensures that benefits are portable, a significant advantage in an industry with staff frequently toggling between different jobs or working multiple part-time positions.
“RokketMed dollars are a portable benefit that isn’t tied to a specific employer. Workers can choose where and when to access care with transparent self-pay prices, often leading to more cost-effective options than traditional health insurance,” Baldwin explains.
Importantly, the no-claims model sidesteps network restrictions typically associated with insurance. This portability means that individual benefits are linked directly to the worker, functioning similarly to a health savings account specifically for those who need it most.
A focus on accessibility is crucial to RokketMed’s operations. “What sets RokketMed apart is our emphasis on serving diverse populations. We engage with individuals directly via SMS in their language of choice, removing language barriers and simplifying their healthcare navigation,” Baldwin adds.
San Francisco’s Health Care Security Ordinance aims to expand healthcare access but has often been mired in complexity. Baldwin points out that around $125 million in HCSO-designated funds go unused each year.
“RokketMed unlocks these underutilized HCSO dollars for immediate, local healthcare services, filling in gaps that traditional insurance often overlooks, such as dental, vision, and basic health needs,” Baldwin explains. “Significantly, 67% of the funds used through RokketMed are allocated to services not covered by traditional insurance, which frequently leads to medical debt for workers.”
By aligning compliance with innovative designs—such as prepaid benefits and a straightforward digital marketplace—RokketMed enables employers to transform regulatory burdens into valuable retention strategies.
Looking forward, Baldwin envisions elevating standards for how hourly and gig workers access healthcare nationwide.
“RokketMed aims to establish equitable, portable healthcare as a benchmark for all hourly-wage and gig workers,” she articulates. “This model reduces the risk of accruing medical debt, leads to healthier work environments, and strengthens local healthcare systems.”
For the restaurant sector in San Francisco—encompassing establishments like Café du Nord, Noe Valley Bakery, and Café Madeleine—the need for a systemic change in healthcare access couldn’t be more urgent.
As the industry strives to recover and stabilize amid post-pandemic challenges and increasing operational costs, the tools provided by RokketMed could prove vital in supporting both workers and employers alike, fostering a thriving hospitality environment.
image source from：forbes
