Employers today find themselves at the center of a seeminglyunwinnable struggle. Health care costs are rising; employer-sponsored health insurance isa $900 billion per year market. Starbucks, for instance, spendsmore on health care than coffee beans, and GM spends more on healthcare than on steel. But they are willing to make the investmentbecause they know that a healthy, happy workforce is as valuable asany part of their supply chain — on par with, if not more valuable,than coffee beans and steel.

While it is a huge business expense, health care is incrediblydifficult for employers to manage. Benefits cost varies widely byemployer — even within the same industry. Benefits administratorsare told to deliver the best benefits for the best value, but areleft to navigate a complex and changing system with little idea ofwhat works for whom, when, and why.

That is beginning to change. A new wave of health care apps,devices, and technology-enabled services has emerged. Care ismoving from physical settings to virtual settings. Consumers aretaking control of their health care, using fitness trackers and wearables likeFitbit to manage their weight, digital disease management toolslike Omada Health to stay on top of chronic conditions, andtelemedicine services like Doctor on Demand to talk to a doctorfrom the convenience of their living rooms. And finally, consumersare making more informed choices about care and coverage with carenavigation, second opinion, and price transparency services likeQuantum Health, Grand Rounds, and HealthCare BlueBook.