A lot has changed in healthcare over the last few years, and a lot is expected to continue changing in the future. The pandemic changed the way a lot of people think about healthcare, while emerging technologies have significantly altered the way that it’s delivered.

Will there be more changes on the horizon for healthcare in 2025 and beyond? The answer is likely yes. But, where will those changes occur?

Below, we describe some of the expected healthcare trends in 2025.

AI Continues to Play Transformative Role

Like it has for just about every industry, artificial intelligence technology has completely revolutionized healthcare. From drug discovery to operational efficiency to even predictive analytics, AI has been nothing short of transformative to the industry.

In 2025, AI is likely to continue to be an essential part of transforming healthcare. Working in complement with blockchain technology, AI can help to ensure traceability in the medical supply chain as well as transparency — from creation by manufacturers, to deliver to healthcare providers, to administration to patients.

This can significantly aid in inventory management, disruptions and fraud, fluctuations in demand and so much more.

AI is also likely to play an increased role in cybersecurity. This is of particular concern to the healthcare industry, which holds vital personal information for millions of people across the country.

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Plans Will Decline

What was once the standard in healthcare insurance is slowly but surely losing its grips. Employer-sponsored health insurance plans used to be the norm, but that is likely to change in the coming years.

There are two main reasons for this.

One, employment itself is changing. An increasing number of people are working as full-time freelancers, “gig” workers or some hybrid of that and part-time W2 workers. These people are often not eligible for traditional employer-sponsored plans.

Two, the cost of healthcare continues to rise, and is only expected to do so even more in future years. As employers look to cut costs, they may do away with traditional employer-sponsored health plans, opting instead for alternative reimbursement plans.

This could cause negative ripple effects in health in general. In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects that 10% of people will be uninsured completely by 2032, due in large part to the high cost of care.

Telehealth to Increase

Telehealth first hit the “mainstream” during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as everyone looked to stop the spread of the virus while also trying to balance work and home life from their own houses.

As the pandemic waned, the telehealth-first mentality seemed to do the same. However, it never really went away, and is expected to grow in usage in the coming years.

There are a lot of major benefits to telehealth, including the fact that it allows healthcare professionals to reach even more people, regardless of their location. This increased access to healthcare makes it more equitable, helping underserved communities that may not normally get this care.

It’s not just about primary care appointments, either. Telehealth today can also include remote monitoring of patients and doing fairly advanced testing.

Employers Will Need to Make Hard Choices

There’s no denying the fact that healthcare costs are on the rise, and they are going down anytime soon. While many employers have done what they can to weather the storm, so to speak, over the last few years, this may all come to a tipping point in 2025.

If they aren’t already, employers will start to feel the real crunch of increasing healthcare costs on their budget. They are going to need to make a real decision about whether they’re going to invest in their employees’ healthcare for the future, or whether they’ll need to find alternative means of doing so.

Many employers are considering reimbursement plans as a way to lower costs for both themselves and their employees, while providing cost certainty at the same time.

In addition, while mental health services have been a major focus of employer-sponsored healthcare plans over the last few years, they are now a major driver of increases costs.

This is not to say that employers should do away with mental health offerings for their employees — only that an increasing number of employees are taking advantage of these services.

All of this points to one major trend for 2025 — employers focusing heavily on what role they would like to, and can, play in their employees’ healthcare in the years ahead.

Much of this might be up in the air with healthcare subsidies potentially expiring at the end of 2025, which makes the year ahead filled with even more trepidation.

Provide for Your Employees with Beckham Ellis Insurance Group

Maybe more so than any other year, there’s a lot of uncertainty ahead in the healthcare industry in 2025. Costs continue to rise at a time when expenses in just about every area of life are increasing, too.

This is putting extra pressure on employers to decide what role they will play in their employees’ healthcare.

By working with Beckham Ellis Insurance Group, your company in the Georgia or South Carolina region can get the help it needs to build a comprehensive and attractive benefits package that works for you and your employees.

For more information, contact us today.