At the height of the pandemic, virtual care became an essential channel for healthcare delivery, allowing patients to access care without leaving home.
Telemedicine adoption surged during this time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physician use of telemedicine jumped from 15.4% in 2019 to 86.5% in 2021.
Five years later, the healthcare landscape looks very different. Even so, telemedicine continues to evolve, and recent legislation has shaped its long‑term role. Last year, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made permanent the pandemic‑era relief that allowed telehealth and other remote services to be covered with no cost‑sharing before a high‑deductible health plan’s minimum deductible is met—without affecting health savings account eligibility.
At the same time, investment in the virtual care market continues to grow. Some projections estimate telemedicine will reach a valuation of $247.67 billion by 2034. As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, employers have new opportunities to incorporate virtual care models into their employee benefits strategies.
Expanding Access to Care
Over the past several years, telemedicine has shifted toward more longitudinal models of care. Many employers are now using virtual care to strengthen or expand their primary care offerings.
Research consistently shows that access to high‑quality primary care leads to better health outcomes. Healthier employees are also less likely to miss work, helping organizations reduce absenteeism and productivity losses.
Virtual primary care allows members to connect with a provider from home—often within minutes—eliminating the time and inconvenience of traveling to an office. By making primary care easier to access, employers can help prevent delayed care and reduce unnecessary, high‑cost emergency department visits.
That said, not every health concern can be addressed virtually, and not every employee prefers telemedicine. A successful virtual primary care strategy should make care easier to access overall—even when that means seeing a provider in person. This has driven the rise of hybrid care models that combine virtual and in‑person services. Some employers have also established on‑site clinics to give employees immediate access to primary care.
For smaller organizations or employers with geographically dispersed workforces, on‑site clinics may not be practical. In these cases, hybrid approaches can still expand access. Partnering with a local advanced primary care provider that offers both virtual and in‑person services gives employees flexibility while maintaining continuity of care.
Making Virtual Care Work
No matter your organization’s size or location, there are steps you can take to improve the effectiveness of your virtual care strategy.
Understanding employee behavior and preferences is critical. Workforces that are less comfortable with technology, for example, may be less likely to engage with solutions that don’t align with how they prefer to access care.
The right partner should match the needs of your workforce and make the preferred action the easiest option. When care is simple and convenient to access, engagement and impact improve.
Employers should also look for partners that provide clear program metrics, including utilization and engagement rates, care outcomes, and patient satisfaction. These insights help measure quality and effectiveness over time.
Finally, communication matters. Even the most innovative solution won’t deliver results if employees don’t understand how to use it. Sharing clear information through employees’ preferred communication channels helps ensure they know their options and how to access care when they need it.
The Growing Role of Virtual Care
As technology advances, virtual care will continue to evolve alongside it. At the same time, healthcare costs continue to rise. According to estimates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, total healthcare spending—across public and private sectors—will reach $8.6 trillion by 2033, growing an average of 5.4% each year.
To manage these rising costs, many employers are turning to virtual and hybrid care models. Virtual care typically costs less than in‑person services and can reduce barriers that prevent employees from accessing traditional care. Implementing the right virtual care solution within your benefits program can deliver meaningful results and help reduce claims costs year over year.
Whether you’re exploring virtual care for the first time or reassessing your current offerings, our team is here to support you at every step.