4 Big Health Benefits Trends to Watch in 2022

1. Honing in on health care cost savings and affordability.

In the U.S., the rising cost of care and access to prescription medication have become a real problem for many consumers—in fact, one in five adults can’t afford quality care. While legislative policy changes such as the No Surprises Act aim to improve cost transparency and prevent financial strain, employers can help make a difference too. By taking action to improve health literacy through education and online health savings tools, employers can help their workforce make smarter health care decisions and prevent financial burden.

2. Continued advancement and use of telehealth.

The pandemic has shown the many ways that remote health care and virtual doctor visits can be a convenient and efficient means of receiving care. However, there are still gaps to address—a new study revealed that among telehealth users, 69% earned at least $100,000, 62% were white and 66% had private insurance. For those with access, the enhancement of wearables and other monitoring tools have now made it possible to treat chronic illnesses remotely. Experts predict that in the coming year, we can expect to see providers from different health care specialties increase application and investments in smart technology, from virtual reality to machine learning, to treat diverse health needs remotely. Employers can look to their health partner to help ensure they’re offering the best virtual care options to keep up with this shift.

3. Focus on improved physical and mental well-being.

Amid the Great Resignation and burnout from two years of the pandemic, well-being has been and will continue to be a primary focus in 2022. This year, employers will continue to grow their wellness offerings to address emotional, physical and financial health. According to research, employees who do utilize such programs report improved mental and physical health, and even sleep. Both Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan have an integrated physical and behavioral health model with a network of partners. Together, in addition to offering behavioral health benefits, they can also help curate a digital wellness offering for your organization to provide additional support for the evolving needs of your employees in the coming year.

4. Prioritizing health equity as the industry moves forward.

Within all the health care trends this year, keeping vulnerable and at-risk populations top of mind will be a primary focus. Especially as technology continues to evolve, using it to find ways to improve health care access and delivery for all will be just as important as advancing the technology itself. Also, parts of the health care system are beginning to take more proactive roles in addressing social determinants of health that could potentially cause inequities in the system.

Fairness and equity will also emerge in the workplace with personalized benefits. For example, some companies have already started to offer targeted benefits for specific segments of their workforce, such as providing additional childcare support for employees who are unable to take advantage of flexible work options.