With in昀氀uences like shifting employment trends, deferred utilization, and pressures on unit costs, the economics of health care are getting heavier 1 and more complex. While the impact of COVID as dollars even further, and health a health care issue has slowed, care expenditures are at the the lasting e昀昀ects in other areas top of the list. In fact, annual leave companies needing to health spending in the U.S. focus their e昀昀orts to keep costs increased by 9.7% in 2020 to 23% 2 in check. For example, while the $4.1 trillion. Inpatient care costs labor market is seeing record have increased 37% across the of employers added new lows in unemployment numbers, board. 60% of people reported employers are facing a more experiencing health care mental health bene昀椀ts demanding workforce, workplace costs increases that outpaced in 2022. shifts, and reevaluation of career in昀氀ation in the past three years paths and priorities. and 63% expect that trend to continue, signaling potential cost With rising in昀氀ation, consumer 1 costs, and wage stagnation, challenges in the future. employees need to stretch their 2023 Benefits Trends: The evolving workplace 56