Healthcare costs keep climbing, and employers are running out of room to maneuver. In this unreleased pre-launch episode, Kirk sits down with Aon’s Kevin Fyock and Kevin Smith to talk about the affordability crisis, why traditional strategies haven’t solved it, and where employers must go next.
They break down rising trend drivers, the limits of value-based care, the explosion of point solutions, what AI can realistically do today, and how employers should think about network design, high-cost claimants, and total rewards strain heading into 2025.
This one sets the tone for everything the podcast became: direct, practical, and deeply rooted in the employer point of view.
Key Takeaways
• The affordability crisis is accelerating, with 2025 trend projected at 9.2%
• Value-based care has not solved cost or quality due to complexity, poor navigation, and rising chronic illness
• Employers face pressure as healthcare costs absorb more of total rewards budgets
• High-cost claimants and advanced therapies are becoming the biggest drivers of trend
• Employers are reassessing point solutions as engagement and ROI fall short
• Predictive analytics and AI will play a larger role in proactive high-cost claimant management
• Expect a shift toward curated, quality-driven networks—not broader networks
• Vendor consolidation is coming as duplication and low utilization become clear
• Policy signals are uncertain, but employers can’t wait for Washington
• Employers, not regulators will drive innovation
• Wearables and at-home monitoring will shape the next wave of care access
• Employers must rethink their benefits strategies now to avoid long-term cost cliffs