StartUp Health NOW
Making Behavioral Health Work in Primary Care: A Conversation with Indira Paharia, PsyD, of VIBEcare
StartUp Health NOW
•January 23, 2026•31 min
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StartUp Health NOW•Jan 23, 2026
Why It Matters
Behavioral health needs are surging while primary care providers face burnout, making integrated, reimbursable virtual care a critical lever for system sustainability. This conversation offers actionable insights for founders, clinicians, payers, and health leaders seeking scalable models that improve patient outcomes and address the nationwide provider shortage.
Key Takeaways
- •VibeCare delivers virtual integrated behavioral health using collaborative care model
- •Medicaid billing codes enable scalable reimbursement for primary‑care mental health
- •Treating behavioral health cuts medical costs and improves outcomes
- •Interoperable platform automates referrals, measurement‑based care, and provider communication
- •Patient‑centered approach aligns payers, providers, clinicians to reduce suffering
Pulse Analysis
Indira Paharia’s journey from clinical psychologist to health‑care executive underpins VibeCare’s mission: provide virtual integrated behavioral health directly within primary‑care settings. Leveraging the evidence‑based collaborative care model, VibeCare replaces costly co‑location with a fully digital platform that connects patients, primary‑care providers, and behavioral health coaches. The company’s roots in health psychology and extensive payer experience give it a unique perspective on why integrating mental health into routine medical visits is both clinically essential and financially viable.
A pivotal shift has been the emergence of dedicated Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial billing codes for collaborative‑care services. These codes unlock scalable reimbursement, allowing practices to bill for behavioral health interventions without the historic space‑and‑time constraints. VibeCare’s interoperable technology automates electronic referrals, syncs with existing EHRs, and captures measurement‑based outcomes like PHQ‑9 scores, ensuring providers meet coding requirements while delivering standardized, data‑driven care. This financial infrastructure reduces administrative friction and demonstrates the cost‑offset potential that actuarial analyses have long highlighted.
At its core, VibeCare prioritizes the patient experience, aligning the interests of payers, providers, and employers around reduced suffering and improved productivity. By delivering evidence‑based coaching and real‑time outcome tracking, the platform not only lowers overall medical expenditures but also addresses absenteeism and presenteeism concerns for large employers. As more states adopt Medicaid reimbursement and commercial plans recognize the ROI of early behavioral interventions, VibeCare is positioned to expand its network, partner with health systems, and accelerate the mainstream adoption of virtual integrated behavioral health.
Episode Description
Behavioral health conditions are rising, providers are burned out, and primary care is carrying the load. In this episode, Unity Stoakes sit down with StartUp Health community member Indira Paharia, PsyD, CEO & Co-founder of VIBEcare, to explore how virtual, integrated behavioral health can transform care delivery at scale.
Drawing on her experience as a clinical psychologist, payer executive, and health tech founder, Indira explains why primary care is the most powerful entry point for behavioral health and how VIBEcare is building practical solutions that actually fit into real-world workflows.
In this episode, we cover:
Why behavioral health so often shows up first in primary care
The collaborative care model and why reimbursement changed everything
How virtual care removes barriers like stigma, transportation, and childcare
Addressing the national behavioral health provider shortage with scalable staffing models
What it takes to build solutions designed by clinicians, for clinicians
Why Indira is optimistic about the future of behavioral health access
This conversation is a must-listen for founders, providers, payers, and health system leaders working to make behavioral health more accessible, effective, and human.
Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit.
» Learn more and apply today.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
Show Notes
Behavioral health conditions are rising, providers are burned out, and primary care is carrying the load. In this episode, Unity Stoakes sit down with StartUp Health community member Indira Paharia, PsyD, CEO & Co-founder of VIBEcare, to explore how virtual, integrated behavioral health can transform care delivery at scale.
Drawing on her experience as a clinical psychologist, payer executive, and health tech founder, Indira explains why primary care is the most powerful entry point for behavioral health and how VIBEcare is building practical solutions that actually fit into real-world workflows.
In this episode, we cover:
-
Why behavioral health so often shows up first in primary care
-
The collaborative care model and why reimbursement changed everything
-
How virtual care removes barriers like stigma, transportation, and childcare
-
Addressing the national behavioral health provider shortage with scalable staffing models
-
What it takes to build solutions designed by clinicians, for clinicians
-
Why Indira is optimistic about the future of behavioral health access
This conversation is a must-listen for founders, providers, payers, and health system leaders working to make behavioral health more accessible, effective, and human.
Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. *If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit.
*» Learn more and apply today.
Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider**™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.
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