The hidden driver of your highest healthcare claims isn’t what you think

In 2025, the directive for nearly every HR and finance leader is crystal clear:

Get healthcare costs under control.

The strategy seems obvious. You open your claims report, circle the biggest numbers—musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, cancer treatments, cardiovascular events—and search for point solutions to address each category.

But what if you’re only treating the symptoms? What if the true root cause of these staggering costs is something that doesn’t even appear on a standard claims report?

The reality is that for the majority of your workforce, life outside of work is defined by a single, demanding role: caregiver. This status comes with a level of stress and responsibility that has a direct, scientifically-proven impact on physical and mental health. More often than not, it’s the invisible driver behind your most significant claims.

 

The undeniable link between unsupported caregiving and poor health

The strain of caregiving isn’t just emotional; it manifests physically.

Caregivers consistently exhibit higher levels of stress hormones, which can lead to a cascade of negative health outcomes. Research from institutions like the American Psychological Association has shown that caregivers have weakened immune responses, making them more susceptible to illness.

Furthermore, a comprehensive study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that individuals experiencing high levels of caregiving strain had a 63% higher mortality risk than non-caregivers.

The problem is twofold:

First, chronic stress directly contributes to conditions like hypertension, cardiac issues, and depression.

Second, caregivers are masters of self-neglect. They are so focused on doctor’s appointments, medication schedules, and the well-being of their loved ones that they systematically deprioritize their own health. Wellness visits are postponed, screenings are missed, and early symptoms are ignored until they become emergencies. Anyone who is a caregiver reading this can surely relate.

 

What if there were a claims report that showed the root cause of costs?

Imagine if your claims report could actually tell the whole story. What if, next to each high-cost item, there was a column that explained the why?

At Cleo, we reimagined what that might look like, and the connection back to caregiving is undeniable. This table reframes your cost centers as human stories:

• Tom J.’s $150,000 oncology claim wasn’t just a random diagnosis; it was the result of a missed cancer screening due to parenting overwhelm, leading to a much more advanced—and costly—stage 3 diagnosis.
• Leslie K.’s $70,000 emergency orthopedic surgery stemmed from a delayed intervention for a spinal issue, a direct consequence of an overly-full caregiving schedule that left no time for her own care.
• Joe F.’s $95,200 cardiology bill for a cardiac aneurysm wasn’t just a health event; it was the culmination of burnout and stress that went unaddressed for too long.

From mental health support for new parent overwhelm, to emergency visits for sandwich generation members, the pattern is clear. These aren’t isolated incidents. They are the predictable outcomes of an unsupported workforce struggling to balance work, life, and care.

 

If you want to control health care claims, you must care about caregiving.

Leaders who are serious about reducing your company’s healthcare spending can no longer afford to ignore the root cause.

Looking at high-cost claims in silos—MSK, cardiology, oncology—without addressing the foundational issue of caregiving is like fixing leaks in a roof during a hurricane. You’re solving the immediate problem, but failing to address the storm that’s causing them.

Investing in comprehensive caregiving support is not just a benefit; it’s a direct and powerful strategy for mitigating financial risk, preventing catastrophic claims, and fostering a healthier, more present, and more productive workforce.