Ebook

Virginia's healthcare gap: Understanding the challenges and path forward

Rising costs, chronic illness, and strained access are reshaping Virginia's healthcare. See how employers and labor organizations can lead the way forward.
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Virginia's healthcare system is under serious strain. Chronic conditions are rising, costs are climbing, and access to quality primary care is shrinking. For employers and labor organizations, the question isn't whether the system is broken—it's what you'll do about it. Explore the data and what leading organizations are doing differently.

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THE VIRGINIA LANDSCAPE

A state facing compounding healthcare challenges

The scope of the problem

Virginia's healthcare challenges don't exist in isolation. Rising chronic illness, climbing costs, and a shrinking primary care workforce create a system that's hard to navigate and harder to afford. Out-of-pocket costs run nearly 60% above the national median.

Why it matters for employers

For benefits leaders, these aren't abstract statistics—they're the forces driving claims, absenteeism, and dissatisfaction. Understanding the full picture is the first step toward a benefits strategy that meets your people where they are.

THE VIRGINIA CHALLENGE

The forces widening Virginia's healthcare gap

Virginia employers and labor organizations are caught between a workforce with growing health needs and a system ill-equipped to meet them. Chronic conditions are rising, costs are outpacing budgets, and the primary care infrastructure needed to address it all is under serious pressure.

  • Chronic conditions affect nearly 12% of Virginia adults

  • Virginia's out-of-pocket medical costs are far above the national median

  • Over 100 Virginia counties face primary care provider shortages

These pressures don't resolve on their own. When people can't access affordable, timely care, small health issues become costly ones. Addressing Virginia's healthcare gap takes more than incremental adjustments—it requires a fundamentally different approach to how care is delivered and accessed.

A BETTER PATH FORWARD

Advanced primary care is helping Virginia employers close the gap

Proactive care that gets ahead of chronic conditions

Advanced primary care gives providers the time and tools to manage conditions before they escalate. Among Virginia employers, 73% of at-risk, engaged members reduced their health risk through proactive care.

Affordable access that keeps people out of the ER

When care is accessible and affordable, people use it before problems escalate. Marathon Health members experience 41% fewer inpatient admissions and 15% fewer emergency department visits.

Sustainable ROI that grows stronger over time

Advanced primary care is a long-term investment with compounding returns. Employers see a 1.2x return in year one, growing to 3.7x by year five—alongside $2,300 or more in annual savings per engaged member.

  • For more than 50 years, research has shown that strong primary care leads to better clinical outcomes, less unnecessary utilization, and lower costs.

    DR. NIRAV VAKHARIA
    Chief Operating Officer, Marathon Health
GET THE EBOOK

Take the first step toward better care in Virginia

Virginia's healthcare challenges are real and growing. This eBook shows employers and labor organizations what's driving the gap—and how advanced primary care helps organizations take control of costs and deliver better outcomes.
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