Partnership formed to confront rise in illness, premature death in young Americans

Reacting to a troubling rise in chronic illnesses among younger Americans, two organizations—GoMo Health and Insurance Collaboration to Save Lives (ICSL)— have joined forces to form a new initiative, dubbed the ForwardLiving Partnership, to help insurers better support policyholders before they become critically ill.

The ForwardLiving Partnership is a proactive push to adapt the insurance industry to a stark new reality: more Americans in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are developing serious conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease—conditions once associated with aging. Insurers are taking note, as these early-life diagnoses lead not only to higher claim volumes but also to increased disability and premature death across multiple lines of insurance.

“The health trajectory of increasingly younger adults has changed dramatically since COVID-19,” said Bob Gold, Chief Behavioral Technologist at GoMo Health, which offers personalized patient and consumer engagement solutions using behavioral and cognitive science to improve outcomes and reduce costs. “Our partnership with ICSL gives insurers a way to address this shift head-on—by supporting their members with programs designed to prevent illness, manage chronic disease, and ultimately extend healthy years of life.”

ForwardLiving Partnership blends science, data

The ForwardLiving Partnership program brings together GoMo Health’s behavioral science platform with ICSL’s research and actuarial insights. The result is a suite of customizable, digital care tools to manage chronic illness, reduce risk, and keep younger people healthier for longer. These tools are designed to be integrated into existing insurance plans and focus on remote monitoring, mental health, and personalized support to promote healthier daily decisions.

The data backing this effort is stark. According to the CDC, 60% of U.S. adults now live with a chronic condition, and 40% have more than one. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association adds that people who had COVID-19 may face heightened long-term risks for heart and lung diseases.

ICSL's analysis of mortality trends highlights five key areas driving earlier deaths: cardiac and circulatory disorders, neurological conditions, metabolic and digestive diseases, cancers, and external causes such as accidents or violence.

Disability cases have surged

The impact of these conditions is being felt not just in doctors’ offices, but in the workplace. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the number of working-age adults with a disability has surged—from 6.5 million pre-pandemic to over 8.4 million by early 2024.

“This is a critical time for our industry,” said Mitch Bagley, an ICSL board member. “Because of GoMo Health’s behavioral focus on health promotion and targeted risk mitigation, this partnership gives insurers a powerful tool to engage with members and improve health outcomes.”

GoMo Health’s technology—built on its proprietary BehavioralRx® science—offers real-time digital engagement and “concierge care” that extends support into people’s everyday lives. The platform uses a mobile bot to triage home health data, conduct live conversations, and collect patient-reported outcomes—all designed to nudge users toward healthier behaviors and improve adherence to care plans.

Dr. Kate Hendricks, a former CDC medical officer and ICSL’s medical advisor, put it bluntly: “Here in America, our health has been declining for the last several years. This partnership provides insurers with a wellness solution to help reverse this trend.”

The ForwardLiving Partnership is being rolled out to life, health, and supplemental insurance carriers that are rethinking their strategies for long-term risk and member engagement. The hope is to help insurers move beyond claims processing and into proactive, preventive care—particularly for younger people who now find themselves facing chronic illness earlier than any previous generation.

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Doug Bailey is a journalist and freelance writer who lives outside of Boston. He can be reached at [email protected].