When people think about women’s health, these issues usually come to mind: breast cancer, fertility, and maternal health. While those are critically important concerns that deserve attention and resources, the greatest threat to women’s health is actually heart disease.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, a reality that has persisted for more than a century. It kills more women annually than all forms of cancer combined.
As benefits leaders consider 2026 renewals and plan ahead for their 2027 strategies, new opportunities are emerging in how organizations approach musculoskeletal (MSK) care. While traditional Centers of Excellence (COE) have focused on surgical interventions, a new approach, non-operative COEs, prioritize conservative treatment and early intervention over surgical treatment. This shift represents a strategic response to mounting cost pressures driven by inappropriate utilization of surgery, and recognizes that many MSK conditions can be effectively managed without surgery.
Recent data surrounding MSK care in the U.S. paints a sobering picture. A 2024 article published in Elsevier’s Lancet Regional Health – Americas journal reports MSK diseases are “the leading cause of years lived with disability” and “an increasing health burden and economic cost of $980 billion annually.” The study found that research involving all types of MSK diseases are underfunded, especially neck pain (0.83% funded), low back pain (13.88% funded), and osteoarthritis (35.08% funded).1
Technology is transforming health care with enhanced data insights, personalized solutions, and simpler tools that help members achieve their health ambitions.
With three out of five Americans saying the health care system is stressful to navigate, technology – AI specifically – is transforming employee plan member experiences.1 This is important as positive experiences improve outcomes and reduce high-cost services such as avoidable emergency room visits.2 Encouragingly, the shift is already underway and Americans are embracing the change, with one in five ready to use generative AI as a doctor’s assistant, and most are willing to use AI to help support routine health care activities, like scheduling appointments, refilling medications and updating contact details.3
