Add a Decade of Life—And Cut Healthcare Spend? Here’s How

Many of the top drivers of medical spending and high-cost claimants trace back to five root causes, most of which stem from lifestyle choices. To truly reduce long-term financial risk, start by addressing these upstream factors. The most effective approach is to connect individuals with a trusted, healing relationship with a primary care provider who can gradually educate them on the risks and benefits of their behaviors. Small, manageable lifestyle changes can significantly improve health outcomes and quality of life—potentially extending life expectancy by over a decade. That’s a powerful value proposition. When individuals are ready for change, they will follow sound advice. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s a meaningful investment. Research supports this: the absence of high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, underweight or overweight, diabetes, and smoking can add more than ten years to one’s life (The Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium, 2025).

The Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium. (2025). Global effect of cardiovascular risk factors on lifetime estimates. The New England Journal of Medicine, 393(2). https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2415879