06 FOREIGN NEWS The HEALTH | July-August. 2025
Egypt’ s first NBFI
AN Egyptian InsurTech company, Nice Deer, is set to establish the country’ s first fully digital non-banking financial institution( NBFI), Nice Deer for Financial Solutions. This follows official approval from the Financial Regulatory Authority( FRA).
Nice Deer Co-founder and Chief
Marketing Officer Engy Shalash emphasised the broader implications of the approval:“ The license is more than just an operational milestone. It’ s a pivotal step toward creating a more agile and efficient model within the health insurance system.”
Aiming to address a criti- cal challenge in Egypt’ s healthcare system, the platform offers a digital factoring solution for real-time processing of delayed insurance receivables. This enables medical service providers to access immediate liquidity.
“ We’ re not just financing; we’ re resetting the market’ s tempo in favour of every provider who has long waited for their dues. Smart financing builds a faster, fairer economic cycle for the entire ecosystem,” added Shalash.
Nice Deer’ s platform leverages advanced Artificial Intelligence( AI) to assess risk, streamline factoring decisions, supporting a secure and scalable model for value-based healthcare. Over its first two years, the company aims to factor US $ 10.2 million in medical insurance claims.
While still in its early stages, Nice Deer is positioning itself as part of a broader effort to enhance financial efficiency within Egypt’ s healthcare system. Its success could help accelerate the adoption of digital financial solutions across the sector.
Rising costs prompt reform
Hair care meets healthcare
MEDICAL device company Cooler Heads has closed an oversubscribed US $ 11 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Mutual Capital Partners, alongside contributions from SHD Partners, Crescent Ridge VC, Cal Innovation Fund, NuFund, Robin Hood Ventures, Golden Seeds, HIP VC, and an undisclosed investor.
The funds will support the manufacturing and distribution of the Portable Scalp Cooling System device, Amma™.
Amma™ is currently the only portable scalp cooling system approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration( FDA). The device helps chemotherapy patients retain their hair, thereby maintaining privacy.
It addresses the emotional impact of hair loss, a common side effect of chemotherapy treatment.
“ Hair loss is so emotionally devastating that 8 per cent of patients eligible for chemotherapy refuse treatment,” said Cooler Heads Founder and Chief Executive Officer( CEO), Kate Dilligan, who is also a
REDEFINING CHEMO CARE: Wearing the Amma™ device, a patient begins her scalp cooling therapy.
breast cancer survivor.
As of Jan 2026, the American Medical Association( AMA) will officially reclassify scalp cooling reimbursement codes as Category I. This reclassification means scalp cooling will be more widely recognised as a standard medical procedure.
Investors believe Amma™ can significantly improve cancer care and patient’ s quality of life. As Mutual Capital Partners Principal Liz Todia put it:“ Our investment in Cooler Heads reflects our confidence in the ability of this leadership team to make scalp cooling available wherever patients are getting chemotherapy.”
Ultimately, Amma™ represents a beacon of hope and empowerment for cancer patients. For patients like Jennifer George, who underwent 16 cycles for early-stage breast cancer in 2024, the device offers more than just a medical benefit:“ In a process where so much is stripped away, scalp cooling helped me keep a part of myself intact, and that gave me strength.”
A MAJOR shift is underway for India’ s National Health Claims Exchange( NHCX), placing it directly under the purview of the Ministry of Finance and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority( IRDAI). The move aims to curb inflated medical billing.
NHCX is currently overseen by the National Health Authority( NHA). It acts as a digital gateway between insurers, healthcare providers, and patients. While the IRDAI is consulted in the platform’ s development, it does not currently regulate the exchange directly.
A joint analysis by the IRDAI and the Indian government found that some hospitals were inflating treatment costs, especially for patients with higher insurance coverage. This has prompted insurers to raise premiums, making insurance coverage less affordable and discouraging renewals.
According to industry data, the annual growth of health insurance premium income dropped to nine per cent in the fiscal year 2024- 2025. This marks a sharp contrast to the over 20 per cent growth recorded in the preceding year.
Additionally, Aon’ s Global Medical Trend Rates Report estimates a 13 per cent rise in India’ s healthcare costs for 2025, up from 12 per cent last year. The growth rate is significantly higher than the projected global average of 10 per cent.
As India grapples with surging healthcare costs, restructuring the claims exchange could pave the way for more affordable and transparent insurance practices.- The HEALTH