ChatGPT Health is a wellness win but with a blind spot

Let me start by saying this: OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT Health is genuinely exciting. Having 230 million people weekly turn to AI for health guidance shows just how desperately Americans need accessible health information. The ability to connect fitness apps, understand lab results and get personalized wellness advice represents real innovation in making health information more accessible.

But here's what keeps me up at night and what should concern every benefits leader reading this: In America, it's not enough to know you need help and ask an AI about it. Americans need to know you can actually get medical help through your employer's benefits plan.

While ChatGPT can tell you that you need an MRI for your knee pain, it can't tell you that the imaging center five miles north charges $150 while the one downtown wants $1,800 for the exact same scan. And that difference? That's what determines whether your client's employees get care or delay it.

Read more: How AI is simplifying healthcare claims

Healthcare costs are jumping 6% to 8% this year for employer-sponsored insurance, according to Mercer and PwC. KFF estimates families spent $6,850 on premiums alone last year (not even counting deductibles or copays). Employers are investing massive resources in benefits, yet employees still struggle to navigate and maximize these investments.

Healthcare AI must lead with the fact that employer-sponsored benefits are the primary gateway to affordable healthcare. The challenge isn't helping employees understand their wellness goals — even if a new workout routine would be helpful. The core problem is helping everyone understand how to access care through the complex benefits system. 

ChatGPT Health can coach employees on diet, track workouts and explain medical terms. That's genuinely valuable for healthfulness and engagement. But when employees still don't understand their benefits coverage or how to find affordable, in-network care, we're only solving part of the equation.

The missing pieces: benefits navigation and price transparency

I see firsthand how price variations for the same procedure can be astronomical. I often see tenfold differences within the same network in the same city. This is where AI should be making its biggest impact: not replacing doctors' advice, but helping employees find the right doctor at the right price within their benefits plan.

Think about your clients' employees for a moment. They're already among millions asking ChatGPT about symptoms and health concerns. Now they can upload their medical records for more personalized advice. But then what? Without understanding their actual benefits coverage, without price transparency, without knowing which providers are in-network, they're still stuck at the same frustrating crossroads.

Oh, and they've shared their personal health information without HIPAA protections.

This is the competitive advantage you can offer clients who are thinking seriously about AI. Offer them real tools to combine wellness-focused AI tools with comprehensive benefits navigation. It's a "yes, and" approach that acknowledges the value of health education while addressing the financial reality of American healthcare.

Here's what your clients' HR teams are dealing with: countless hours answering benefits questions, helping employees understand coverage and trying to guide them to cost-effective care. Our data shows HR teams spend an average of nine hours per week on benefits-related inquiries. Meanwhile, CFOs are watching healthcare costs rise year after year, wondering if they're getting any return on this massive investment (what's oftentimes the second largest line item for the entire company).

The opportunity? Position AI not as a replacement for human expertise, but as a tool that handles routine benefits questions 24/7, guides employees to cost-effective care options and actually helps reduce claims costs by steering employees to high-value providers.

Your strategic advantage as a benefits adviser

This is where you become invaluable. Your clients need guidance on how to position these new AI tools within their comprehensive benefits strategy. ChatGPT Health can drive engagement. But to truly differentiate your offering, you need to provide both wellness support and financial navigation.

Read more: What AI means for burnout, benefits and trust at work in 2026

Consider this positioning with clients: "ChatGPT Health is excellent for helping your employees understand their health. But we're going to make sure they can actually afford to act on that information by providing price transparency and benefits navigation tools that work with your specific plans."

The winning strategy combines the best of both worlds:

• AI-powered health education that employees actually want to use.
• Benefits navigation that ensures they can afford the care they need.
• Price transparency that helps them make cost-effective decisions.
• Integration with existing benefits to maximize your current investment.

The integrated AI future

OpenAI's entry into healthcare validates what forward-thinking brokers already know: employees are desperate for help navigating their health. The opportunity for AI applications in healthcare is within our grasp.

Imagine a future where an employee can ask about their diabetes management and immediately see which providers in their network specialize in endocrinology, what their out-of-pocket costs will be and which pharmacies offer their medications at the best price under their specific formulary. This is what I envision when I talk about empowering employees to get the most from the benefits their employers are already providing.

As you prepare for renewal conversations this year, consider how you're positioning AI and digital health tools. Are you merely offering another wellness app or are you providing a comprehensive strategy that addresses both health education and healthcare affordability? Your clients' CFOs want to see ROI. Their HR teams want less administrative burden. Their employees want to understand and afford their care.

Advisers and consultants who can deliver all three will be the ones who thrive in 2026 and beyond. The AI revolution in healthcare is here. Let's amplify the value you already provide together.