Insurers are predicting that pharmacy costs will become an increasingly significant part of medical expenses over the next five years. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Over-reliance on medical services to treat health issues, particularly when high-cost medical technologies and pharmaceuticals are employed, are some of the biggest drivers of escalating costs in a growing number of regions across the globe, according to Willis Towers Watson's 2019 Global Medical Trends Survey report.
“Rising health care costs continue to be a major issue for insurers and employers globally as increases continue to outstrip inflation by more than a two-to-one margin and are unsustainable over the long term,” says Cecil Hemingway, managing director and global co-head of health and benefits, Willis Towers Watson.
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Katie Kuehner-Hebert
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.
