Healthcare costs continue to surge, as employers explore new ways to contain costs without sacrificing quality!
According to Mercer’s recent National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, average medical costs for group markets are projected to rise by 7% in 2025, following two years of healthcare benefit cost increases above 5% and a previous decade of only 3% average growth. [1] This spike reflects challenges like inflation, high-cost specialty drugs, and increased patient demand within a strained healthcare system, making cost containment a top priority for 2025.
Virtual care has emerged as a pivotal strategy in reducing costs without compromising patient care quality. By enabling convenient, comprehensive care that patients can access from home or on-the-go, virtual care offers employers an efficient way to curb healthcare spending. Here’s how virtual care solutions can drive down costs and what to consider when selecting a virtual care vendor.
How Virtual Care Can Decrease Healthcare Costs & What to Look for from a Vendor
- Reducing Claims Impact: When utilizing a standalone virtual care provider, visits generally bypass group health plan claims, meaning increased virtual care usage can significantly decrease claim impacts. This approach enables employers to sidestep complications often encountered with carrier-embedded virtual care services, such as disjointed care coordination and fee-for-service models that can detract from the patient experience. To maximize cost savings, look for virtual care vendors with a track record of independent, seamless service without additional claims burden on your group health plan.
- Diverting Costly Visits: Using virtual care for common medical needs—like urgent concerns, primary care, or mental health support—helps divert patients from more costly care options such as emergency rooms or in-person urgent care centers. Studies show that over 85% of virtual visits can serve as effective, lower-cost alternatives to these higher-cost services. [1] To ensure cost-effectiveness, partner with a virtual care vendor that demonstrates a strong record of diverting patients from expensive modalities without compromising care quality.
- Promote Preventative Care: Engaging employees in their health proactively and ensuring they are up-to-date with age-appropriate screenings can help prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases. Many traditional providers are reimbursed more for treating chronic diseases than for preventing them, which can lead to higher long-term costs. A standalone virtual care vendor, free from hospital system or carrier influence, can prioritize preventive care strategies that improve population health, reduce disease progression, and lower associated costs over time. Choose a vendor that emphasizes preventive care engagement and offers tools to keep patients involved in their health journey. [2]
- Enhance Chronic Care: Chronic disease is a leading driver of healthcare costs, and employers are preparing for increased medical expenses linked to chronic disease care. Virtual care models that prioritize primary care visits allow for more frequent, focused interactions with a physician, encouraging better health outcomes and potentially lowering emergency room visits. Statistics show that up to 30% of ER visits among those with chronic conditions are avoidable. [3] 75% of primary care visits are for those with multiple chronic conditions, however 85% of PCPs reveal they do not have adequate time to support patients with a chronic disease. [4] Virtual primary care is a valuable resource for disease management as members spend more time with doctors to create unique treatment plans to best fit their needs.
- Mitigate Increases: When employees skip or delay care, they often face worsening conditions that lead to high-cost claims. Between 2021 and 2023, stop-loss premiums rose by 16% due to increases in high-cost claims, partly attributable to delayed care during the pandemic. Proactively engaging employees in wellness exams, preventive services, and chronic disease management can reduce the risk of these expensive claims. Virtual care can support annual wellness exams and preventive care, offering hands-on chronic care management that lowers future claims risks and, consequently, premiums. [5]
Recuro Health Virtual Care Solutions
Recuro Health’s robust platform of virtual care solutions offers a powerful answer to rising healthcare costs. Recuro provides Virtual Primary Care, Virtual Urgent Care, and Virtual Behavioral Health, offering patients seamless, coordinated care across their health journey. Virtual Primary Care emphasizes preventive and chronic disease care, enabling patients to establish a consistent relationship with their provider, receive personalized health guidance, and keep all aspects of their care organized. Recuro’s Virtual Urgent Care provides around-the-clock access for immediate concerns, reducing dependency on costly ER visits, while Virtual Behavioral Health offers counseling and mental health support, further enhancing comprehensive care that addresses both physical and mental well-being.
These solutions reflect Recuro Health’s commitment to delivering accessible, cost-efficient care that adapts to each patient’s unique needs. With Recuro Health, employers can confidently invest in a virtual care partner focused on both patient well-being and cost-effective outcomes.
