While employer spending on health care may fall in 2020 as compared to 2019, it could jump in 2021 depending on several factors. (Photo: Shutterstock)

It's no secret that the economic impact of the COVID-19 shutdown, massive strain on the health care system and shelter-in-place rules large of the population have adopted have changed American life in many ways, some likely permanent. 

A just released annual report by PwC's Health Research Institute, "Medical Cost Trend: Behind the Numbers," takes a deep dive into the forces driving health care costs and likely trends through 2021, predicting that costs could rise between 4% and 10%, depending on multiple factors.  

Some of those factors involve the way health care itself is delivered, with virtual consultations and therapy sessions taking the place of face-to-face visits, allowing for savings by payers but cutting into providers' billing.