The healthspan imperative: Why Medicare Advantage plans must invest in prevention now
It’s estimated that at least 80 percent of cardiovascular disease cases, 45 percent of Alzheimer’s cases, and 20-30 percent of falls are preventable. In other words, the biggest threats to our health aren’t inevitable outcomes of aging. These are outcomes we can delay, manage, or even avoid with the right interventions and effort.
Amidst rising talk of longevity, questions remain about what role health plans ought to play as this new category of healthcare develops. A closer look reveals that, for Medicare Advantage plans, the future isn’t just about extending life — it’s about extending quality of life. With rising costs, growing member complexity, and new Star Ratings measures that reward whole-person care, healthspan is no longer a wellness goal. It’s a strategic lever for performance, satisfaction, and retention.
The idea of reversing aging or living forever has long captured the human imagination. Today, advances from cellular reprogramming to blood plasma treatments promise to stretch the boundaries of aging. While Silicon Valley chases the dream of immortality, most older adults want something far more practical: the ability to stay mobile, independent, and mentally sharp as they age.
The opportunity for healthspan is bigger than longevity. For healthcare, this concept is both a galvanizing, big-picture mission statement and a practical, cost-saving strategy hiding in plain sight.
What is healthspan? Why should plans care?
Healthspan is the number of years we live in good health, free from serious disease or disability. And right now, in the U.S., it’s shrinking relative to lifespan.
On average, Americans spend the final decade of life in poor or declining health. That gap — between how long we live and how well we live — is one of the most urgent and expensive challenges in healthcare today.
For Medicare Advantage plans, the implications (and costs) of declining healthspan are staggering. Managing advanced chronic conditions, fall-related injuries, and cognitive decline in the final years of life consumes a disproportionate share of healthcare spending — and as the population continues to age, these costs are expected to skyrocket.
By offering benefits that promote healthspan, including Bold’s personalized programs that address falls, pain and other chronic conditions, plans can help members avoid the conditions that limit quality of life.
Why is healthspan declining?
We already know the scientific ingredients for living a healthy, happy life — but in practice it’s just not that simple. 8 in 10 US adults do not meet aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines, and 4 in 5 of the most costly chronic conditions among adults 50 or older can be prevented or managed with physical activity.
The problem isn’t a lack of knowledge. But the U.S. health care system is built to treat — not to prevent. Billions are spent managing conditions after they arise. Far fewer resources go toward helping, educating, and encouraging people on how to stay healthy in the first place.
A groundbreaking study from the VA’s Million Veteran Program — one of the largest of its kind — further drives this point home. Researchers followed over 270,000 veterans and found that adopting eight specific lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, sleep, social connection, and nutrition dramatically decreased the risk of early death. Veterans who followed all eight lived, on average, up to 24 years longer than those who followed none.
So what’s holding most people back?
The biggest lifestyle factors diminishing healthspan:
1. Physical inactivity
Regular movement is one of the most powerful predictors of healthspan. Physical inactivity alone was one of the top contributors to early morality in the VA study, with active individuals showing a 46% lower risk of death than their sedentary peers.
2. Poor nutrition
A diet lacking whole, nutrient-dense foods increases the risk of nearly every major chronic disease. The study found a plant-predominant diet to be a key factor in longer life expectancy.
3. Sleep deprivation
Sleep is a core function of physical and cognitive recovery. Those who regularly get 7-9 hours of sleep had significantly better health outcomes than those who didn’t, yet restorative sleep is one of the first things to suffer with age or stress.
4. Chronic stress
Prolonged stress significantly accelerates physical decline. Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, weakens immune response, exacerbates inflammation, and increases the likelihood of conditions such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Individuals adept at stress management through mindfulness, exercise, or social connection had markedly improved outcomes and greater longevity.
5. Social isolation
Meaningful connections and community profoundly influence healthspan. Loneliness and isolation remain pervasive among older adults, exacerbated by mobility challenges, loss of loved ones, and limited access to community programs.
6. Substance use and excessive alcohol intake
Substances and alcohol significantly impact physical health and cognitive function. Heavy drinking accelerates aging at the cellular level, raises risks for cancer and liver disease, and heightens cognitive impairment.
7. Limited preventive care access
Despite the availability of preventive screenings, immunizations, and wellness checks, many older adults don’t regularly utilize these services either due to access barriers, cost concerns, or limited awareness of their benefits. Without early intervention, preventable conditions escalate into serious health crises that drastically diminish quality of life and increase healthcare costs.
Taken together, these factors underline a critical gap in how health is approached, especially among adults aged 65 and over. For Medicare Advantage plans aiming to meaningfully impact member healthspan — and manage rising healthcare costs — a strategic shift toward proactive, personalized prevention is not just beneficial; it’s essential.
Bold’s solution
In a culture obsessed with youth, we often miss the point. Most people don’t want to rewind the clock. They want to keep doing the things that make life meaningful: walking with friends, playing with grandkids, staying sharp in conversation, living independently. They don’t want to reverse aging, they want to feel like themselves, at every age.
“The larger goal for me is the future. I don’t want to just reach a number. I want to reach that number and be able to do the things I still want to do, go where I want to go." – Nedra, 73, Bold user
"Walking with people my age, we talk about people who have fallen or someone who has lost their balance. I have confidence that even if I trip, I can catch myself because a lot of the programs I do focus on a balance component. Bold helps me to realize and continue to express who I am as a person."
That’s the real promise of healthspan: the ability to age without losing the parts of life that matter. And that promise isn’t unlocked by hacks or shortcuts — it’s earned through consistency, encouragement, and the right kind of support.
At Bold, we see that effort pay off every day. Members gain confidence. They build habits. And they discover what’s possible when their health isn’t a barrier but a bridge to fuller engagement with life.
Bold by the numbers:
- 46% reduction in falls
- 182% increase in physical activity
- 97% members love the Bold experience
- 77% of members more likely to stay with their plan
Using technology to democratize healthspan
Healthcare innovation has advanced rapidly, but not always equally. Many of the most powerful tools for prevention and longevity have remained out of reach for the very populations who need them most.
Older adults are embracing technology more than ever before, pushing past outdated stereotypes about who engages with digital tools. From smartphones to streaming platforms to telehealth, this generation is more connected and ready for advancement than many realize. That shift opens the door to something bigger: a more equitable, accessible model of healthy aging.
At Bold, we’re using technology to make healthspan accessible to everyone. Our platform is designed to meet older adults where they are — whether they’re managing arthritis, recovering from surgery, or simply unsure how to begin. Every program is clinically built, highly personalized, and focused on what matters most: helping Medicare Advantage members move more, build strength, and feel better in their bodies.
Geography, mobility limitations, chronic pain, and motivation are no longer immovable barriers. With Bold’s at-home, digital-first model, we bring science-backed, preventive care to populations traditional fitness programs have historically left behind.
Bold isn’t just a personal solution. It’s a systems-level intervention — one designed for scale, equity, and the future of aging. Because the Medicare population is growing fast. By 2034, adults over 65 will outnumber kids under 18. And the downstream effects of untreated chronic conditions and preventable injuries will strain every part of our healthcare infrastructure.
Make healthy aging the norm
We shouldn’t accept the last decade of life as one of decline. We shouldn’t normalize fragility or isolation. We should expect more.
Systematically, changes are being made in the right direction to incentivize benefits that make a positive difference in members’ lives. Beginning in 2027, CMS will triple-weight Star Ratings for physical and mental health outcomes — making long-term engagement solutions like Bold essential to plan performance.
77% of members say Bold improved their health and made them more likely to stay with their plan. 9 in 10 members say something they learned from Bold helped them in their daily life.
Healthspan is the next frontier in healthcare strategy. For plans looking to reduce costs, improve ratings, and deliver care that truly resonates with members, Bold is the partner to make it happen.
Ready to put healthspan at the center of your strategy? Get in touch with our partnerships team or visit agebold.com/partnerships to learn how Bold can improve your outcomes and your ratings.