The unprecedented success of the “Barbie” movie, Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour are proof that women are powerful consumers.^1-3 But while few would doubt the impact of the female-driven dollar in industries like fashion, beauty, and entertainment, the value of their healthcare spending has been less clear.

This is largely because “women’s health” is often equated with ob/gyn care, which is experiencing declining revenue nationwide due to falling birth rates.⁴ This view misses the full scope of women’s roles as consumers and key decision-makers for their family across the entire healthcare spectrum.

As we discussed on a recent episode of the Radio Advisory podcast, there is a strong business case for investing in women’s health. Providers that comprehensively address the needs of women have the potential to increase market share and downstream revenue. Our analysis reveals that women not only contribute significantly to healthcare volumes, surpassing men in direct healthcare use, but are also uniquely valuable healthcare consumers. Their influence extends beyond their own care. As caregivers, they can shape the healthcare decisions of others. This is why many refer to women as the “chief medical officers” of their homes.

When self-insured providers in value-based agreements invest in preventive care, there is a great potential to save money. Additionally, prioritizing women's health offers an opportunity to recruit and retain female employees, who make up a large portion of the healthcare workforce.⁵

In this report, we share four reasons to invest in women’s health, which starts in national specialty care volumes.⁶