New study by Premise Health finds advanced primary care saves employers and unions 30% on total healthcare costs for attributed members

A new Premise Health study of 207,000 eligible lives, one of the largest sample sizes ever assessed in the direct healthcare industry, has confirmed that employees, union members, and dependents who use Premise for advanced primary care save on average $2,434, or 30%, annually on their total cost of care compared to those who access care in their communities. The study was conducted by direct healthcare provider Premise using a methodology validated by Milliman, an internationally recognized actuarial and consulting firm. The study analyzed data across 26 employers in 11 industries, including manufacturing, finance, software and tech, and labor unions.  

“Employers are vigorously searching for a different approach to their health care benefits and are increasingly employing advanced primary care strategies – integrated with behavioral health, navigation, and advocacy tools – to improve health and lower costs for their organizations, employees, and families, as seen in the results of this study,” Stu Clark, chief executive officer, Premise Health said.  

Industry watchers are projecting the biggest jump in healthcare costs in a decade for 2025, with Business Group on Health’s 2025 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey reporting that employers are expecting nearly 8% increases.  

Premise achieved the savings demonstrated in the study by connecting employees, union members, and their dependents with patient-centered, data-driven healthcare in a primary care setting. Patients who use Premise’s advanced primary care services receive more preventive care, including services like pharmacy, behavioral health, care management, and care navigation, which leads to fewer costly emergency room visits and hospital admissions and better health overall.   

The study showed that advanced primary care led to: 

  • 20% increase in routine, preventive, and mental health office visits  
  • 17% reduction in emergency room visits  
  • 52% reduction in inpatient hospital admissions 

Advanced primary care is effective because it is easy for patients to access and use, according to Clark. He noted that the Premise model prioritizes the ability to get care quickly, longer appointment times with clinical providers, support for mental and social health needs, and easy-to-use technology, all of which encourage patients to seek out cost-effective primary care services before turning to specialty or emergent care.    

“Unsustainable healthcare costs year over year are creating an earnings per share issue for employers,” Clark said. “It’s this simple: more advanced primary care means lower total cost of care.  It’s just not any more complicated than that.” 

To learn more about this study and the impact of advanced primary care, join Premise Health for a webinar at 12 PM CT on October 23. 

To read the full case study of the analysis, click here.