Health care is hard. It's also the most personal journey many of us ever embark upon. A person enters the health care system with their own unique life experiences. Regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, religious views or neighborhood, true health equity is about helping all people by showing them love and care throughout their entire health care journey. In recent years, many companies have focused on various DEI and health equity programs. As companies rethink and reshape the support they provide their employees and their families, benefits advisors, HR professionals and other benefits decision-makers must continue to prioritize and invest in promoting equitable health care access and outcomes for all. For self-insured employers facing skyrocketing  costs, it's increasingly hard to contain health care spend and still cultivate a thriving, productive workforce while respecting and supporting the unique needs of every employee.

 Building a diverse, inclusive and healthy workforce

 Even when U.S. healthcare spending was less than a third of what it is today, the human and financial toll of patients falling through the cracks due to lack of access, poor care coordination, and a systemwide inability to grapple with the complex upstream factors that drive health outcomes was still prevalent.

  What should be clearer today for self-insured employers and their advisors is that understanding how their employees' identities, values and socioeconomic conditions intersect with and drive health care needs makes a difference. It's never been more important to meet people where they are in their health care journey and help guide them with personalized navigation support and services.