Rising healthcare costs and increasing rates of chronic disease are straining employer budgets. But the impact goes beyond the balance sheet — affecting workforce health, productivity and retention. In response, many businesses are investing in prevention and wellness programs designed to reduce long-term costs and improve employee well-being.
Yet results often vary. In many cases, health coverage and care delivery remain siloed, limiting program reach and making it harder for employees to engage. Without integration, even well-designed initiatives can fail to deliver consistent, measurable outcomes.
That’s why programs built on strong payer-provider collaboration stand out. When care teams and health plan resources are aligned — sharing accountability, data and infrastructure — solutions can be purposefully tailored to the employees who need them most. The result: easier navigation, stronger engagement and better outcomes that matter to both employees and employers.
One example is Banner|Aetna’s Type 2 diabetes reversal program, powered by Virta Health. Built into the local care ecosystem, it allows Banner Health clinicians to refer eligible employees directly, removing common barriers to participation. Over three years, enrollment has grown 290%, delivering measurable results such as:
- Per month in gross savings of $551 per employee from avoided complications, fewer ER visits, and reduced diabetes drug use (57% cut in medications and 66% reduction in insulin).
- An average of approximately 1% reduction in A1C blood sugar levels, and clinically significant weight loss for 61% of participants.
- Three times higher member engagement compared to industry averages.
As employers work to manage costs while supporting a healthy, productive workforce, collaborative models like this one show what’s possible. Aligning care and coverage may not solve every challenge, but it is proving to be a powerful way to drive engagement, achieve measurable outcomes and create lasting business value.
John Byrnes is chief operating officer at Banner|Aetna.
