closeup of man talking to woman virtually on laptop (Photo: fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Year over year, we have seen a significant rise in costs when it comes to health care, and it's taking a toll on employers and employees everywhere. There are a number of factors linked to the increase, including supply shortages, inflation and mounting costs associated with clinical staff, but also, more Americans are being diagnosed with chronic illnesses, according to the National Library of Medicine. Chronic illnesses affect half of the population, and the care needed to treat these conditions accounts for more than 85% of health care costs. Those with chronic conditions may only make up 1% of a company's population, but they can account for up to 40% of its costs.

Health care benefits are one of the most important benefits an employer can offer their workforce. Providing employees with innovative benefits that include virtual care will not only help the employer to manage costs, but it will provide employees with an affordable solution that enables them to take a proactive approach when it comes to their health. With digital health solutions in place, employers can expect to see a clear difference in their workforce and in their bottom line.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

Your access to unlimited BenefitsPRO content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking benefits news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.