Organizations will see a greater push towards health equity

The changing nature of the workplace, advances in technology and regulatory actions point to a year of change and innovation in the health care industry.

“In 2024, we expect to see a greater push from organizations big and small toward health equity, taking social determinants of health into account to help ensure all people have the opportunity to achieve optimal health and live their lives with vitality,” said Heather Dlugolenski, senior vice president and U.S. commercial strategy officer for Cigna Healthcare. “This will play out in a concerted effort between employers and payers to build equitable and inclusive benefits plans rooted in data and personalization.”

A new report from Cigna identified six trends that it expects to affect employers and workers.

Evolution in care delivery and navigation. Improvements in the efficiency of the care delivery system, new care delivery models and other emerging trends have the potential to mitigate the effects of the physician shortages facing many communities. Patients can seek nontraditional care for minor conditions, and increasingly for some chronic and specialty conditions, while allowing physicians to focus on higher-risk patients and more-acute conditions.

Population health and health equity. Cigna expects to see greater interest from organizations of all sizes in addressing the social determinants of health that affect health equity to ensure that all people have the same opportunities to achieve their full health potential, regardless of social, economic or environmental circumstances.

Focus on access, experience and outcomes to improve behavioral health care. A main driver of disproportionate health care costs is that 50% of adults with a diagnosed behavioral health condition do not receive treatment.  Virtual care has opened access to people in remote areas who require long drives to see a provider and in urban areas, where even a few miles of distance can be inaccessible. Digital tools also are helping improve access to behavioral care.

Plan and benefits design. Cigna expects to see a greater focus on holistic health care, which combines in-person care with digital wellbeing experiences (such as digital health coaching, motivational tools and apps that enable healthy habit tracking) to enable personalized experiences that provide real-time insights and greater opportunity to engage people in their own health and wellbeing.

Related: How benefits consultants can help clients meet their health equity goals

Health care’s human-tech synthesis. As people increasingly take charge of their own health, digital tools offer many opportunities to improve the overall health care experience, lower the cost of care and drive greater access. Additionally, the data gleaned from digital engagement inform a more real-time dialogue with individuals and allow more proactive and relevant care delivery.

Curbing increasing pharmacy costs. The GLP-1 weight-loss drug market will continue to evolve as more data, simpler drug delivery in the form of a pill and potential new indications continue to drive more utilization. Health plans and sponsors are expected to take a coordinated approach that balances the need for medications for patients who can benefit the most with lifestyle support that ensures long-term success.