by Health insurance is increasingly moving beyond claims and coverage. Insurers are using mobile apps, wellness programs, wearable-device integration, digital coaching, and incentives to keep members engaged with their health.
This trend is becoming more relevant as consumers use smartwatches and fitness trackers to monitor activity, sleep, heart rate, and other wellness indicators.
According to Towards Healthcare, the global digital health insurance market was valued at USD 3.57 trillion in 2024, reached USD 3.99 trillion in 2025, and is projected to reach USD 11.11 trillion by 2034, expanding at a 12.05% CAGR from 2025 to 2034. Importantly, member portals and mobile apps dominated the technology segment in 2024, while wearable-data integration is identified as an important technology enabler.
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Why Are Fitness-Connected Insurance Programs Becoming More Relevant?
There is a clear health need behind these programs.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 47.2% of U.S. adults aged 18 and older met federal aerobic physical-activity guidelines in 2024. The proportion was 54.0% among adults aged 18–34, compared with 38.4% among adults aged 65 and older.
That creates an opportunity for insurers to use digital engagement and wellness incentives to encourage healthier behaviors.
The CDC defines the federal aerobic activity recommendation as at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, or an equivalent combination.
Which Insurance Companies Are Worth Exploring?
Towards Healthcare identifies UnitedHealth Group, Elevance Health, CVS Health (Aetna), Cigna, Humana, Centene, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, Oscar Health, and others among the leading companies in digital health insurance.
For consumers specifically interested in wellness apps and connected health, these insurers are worth investigating based on their broader digital-health capabilities.
UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is part of UnitedHealth Group, which Towards Healthcare lists among the leading digital health insurance companies. The company’s scale and digital-health ecosystem make it an important player to consider when evaluating app-based member engagement and wellness services.
Aetna / CVS Health
CVS Health (Aetna) is another major player identified by Towards Healthcare. Its combination of insurance, pharmacy, healthcare services, and digital capabilities positions it strongly within the broader connected-health ecosystem.
Cigna Healthcare
Cigna is also identified by Towards Healthcare as a leading digital health insurance company. Its digital strategy is relevant to consumers looking for technology-enabled healthcare access and wellness engagement.
Humana
Humana is another major insurer included in Towards Healthcare’s digital health insurance competitive landscape, particularly relevant to digitally enabled health-management services.
Elevance Health
Elevance Health is also among the leading companies identified by Towards Healthcare. Its participation in digitally enabled health services makes it another insurer consumers can investigate when comparing wellness-oriented benefits.
Important: Whether a particular insurer lets you connect an Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung device, or another wearable and whether you receive rewards depends on the specific plan, employer program, state, eligibility, and current wellness-program terms. The company name alone does not guarantee wearable rewards.
Government Data Shows That Wellness Benefits Are Already Mainstream
There is particularly strong evidence in Medicare Advantage.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), more than 99% of Medicare Advantage plans offered at least one supplemental benefit in 2022, with a median of 23 supplemental benefits per plan. CMS identified fitness among the most frequently offered supplemental benefits, alongside vision, hearing, and dental.
CMS also reported that for 2025, 62 Medicare Advantage organizations participated in the Value-Based Insurance Design Model across 48 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, covering 967 plan benefit packages. Participating plans may use reward and incentive programs.
These figures show that wellness incentives are not simply a niche feature—they are becoming part of a broader payer strategy focused on prevention, engagement, and value-based healthcare.
Fitness Data Could Become More Valuable to Insurers
The opportunity is particularly interesting because physical activity remains uneven across the U.S.
The latest CDC data show:
- 47.2% of U.S. adults met aerobic activity guidelines in 2024.
- 52.3% of men met the guidelines versus 42.4% of women.
- 54.0% of adults aged 18–34 met the guidelines.
- Only 38.4% of adults aged 65+ met them.
- 51.9% of adults in the West met the guidelines, compared with 44.1% in the South.
- Only 40.2% of adults in nonmetropolitan areas met the guidelines, versus 51.5% in large central metropolitan areas.
These differences demonstrate why a one-size-fits-all wellness program may not work equally well for every member.
Connected apps and wearable devices could allow insurers to build more personalized engagement programs, although how activity data is used should always be clearly explained to members.
What Does Towards Healthcare Say About Mobile Apps?
Towards Healthcare reports that member portals and mobile apps were the dominant technology segment of the digital health insurance market in 2024. These platforms provide 24/7 access, self-service capabilities, communication, and digital administration.
The report also identifies wellness incentives and rewards, remote patient monitoring reimbursement, and IoT/wearable-data integration among the key segments shaping digital health insurance.
This creates a potentially powerful model:
Wearable → Mobile app → Activity data → Wellness engagement → Incentive → Ongoing health management
What Should Consumers Check Before Choosing a Wellness Program?
If your priority is connecting a fitness device and earning rewards, don’t simply choose an insurer because it advertises a wellness app.
Check:
1. Device compatibility
Does the program support your Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung device, or another tracker?
2. Reward eligibility
Are rewards available to everyone or only members enrolled through a particular employer or plan?
3. What activities qualify?
Steps, workouts, health assessments, preventive visits, sleep, or other activities?
4. Reward value
Is the benefit a gift card, premium reduction, points, fitness benefit, or another incentive?
5. Data privacy
What information is collected, who receives it, and how is it used?
The last point is especially important. HHS explains that whether HIPAA applies to health information collected through a health app depends on the specific circumstances and the entities involved. A consumer should therefore review the app’s privacy policy rather than automatically assuming that every fitness app is covered by HIPAA.
The Bigger Picture
The combination of government wellness initiatives, consumer fitness tracking, and digital insurance is creating a more connected healthcare experience.
At the same time, CDC data show that less than half of U.S. adults met federal aerobic activity guidelines in 2024, giving insurers a significant population-health opportunity.
The result is a shift from:
“I use insurance when I get sick”
to:
“My insurer can also support me in staying healthy.”
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