Technology is transforming today's health care system for the better–particularly for human resources departments charged with educating and engaging employees on their health care benefits. While rising costs, complex billing systems and health care illiteracy remain today's top benefits-related challenges, new software solutions and tools geared toward the HR function have made them easier to tackle.

Fifty-nine percent of employers have adopted HR technology for benefits enrollment, administration or both, and those that haven't are looking to start. Among the most promising HR technologies are cost comparison tools, interactive SPDs and telemedicine, which have shown strong signs of improving employee experiences, optimizing organizational resources and maximizing employers' investments in health care. Here's what you need to know about these health care benefits gamechangers:

Cost comparison tools

Rising costs have created an era of health care consumerism in the United States, whereby individuals are expected to comparison shop for their medical procedures and treatments. Despite this fact, and that costs can vary greatly from provider to provider, people still don't spend as much time researching their options as they should. In fact, only three percent of Americans compare medical costs across providers before receiving care.

While employees want quality services and treatments with little to no out-of-pocket costs, employers also want to maximize their ROI in health care by helping employees make informed, cost-effective decisions in line with their insurance plans. These factors point to continued interest and investments in health care transparency services in 2018, and specifically cost comparison tools.