This erosion of employability is greater than that experienced, for example, by workers in Austria, Denmark, France and Sweden, a circumstance not attributable to cross-country differences in the composition of workers or jobs. The paper also finds that the variable that most increases employability in these situations is spending on active policies. It is thus important to design an active labour market policy system that is efficient and effective. In this respect, the Spanish Government has undertaken to enact an employment law before end-2022 to make the State employment system more effective. Among other aspects, the law aims to improve the internal management of the data underpinning unemployment beneﬁts and active policies − for the purpose of their assessment −, digitalise information for the public and combat fraud. (iii) The challenge of addressing inequality Levels of inequality in Spain were already high before the outbreak of the pandemic and, despite the key mitigating role played by public policy, they are likely to have increased as a result of the health crisis. To reduce the adverse – economic and social – effects of high levels of inequality, public policy measures must be rolled out and continuously assessed across a wide range of areas. Examples here include labour market regulation and education policy. In particular, improving the educational attainment levels of the most disadvantaged groups is a highly effective means of boosting their income, levelling up job opportunities ex ante and enhancing the prospects of future generations. Nonetheless, incomes and housing policies, among others, are also important.

The telehealth market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow by 12 per cent annually to reach $ billion in 2020. In Singapore, we have been rolling out TeleRehab services for stroke patients. It delivers better health outcomes because doctors can monitor patients and make sure they follow-through on rehabilitation without the inconvenience of regular physical travel to the clinic. In the US, Kaiser – a major healthcare provider in California – already has more than half of its consultations through tele-health, and insurers have begun to accept telehealth claims. iv. In Singapore, the first tele-health trial by an insurer was launched last year, enabling policy-holders at risk of heart problems to be monitored remotely so that abnormalities can be picked up in time, and issues detected before they become critical. I encourage insurers to partner with healthcare providers and research centres to test such applications and support the implementation of Smart Health platforms. It supports an important paradigm shift towards preventive and sustainable healthcare management for policy-holders. 9. There is opportunity for insurers to go digital in other ways too. At the front end: It is frequently remarked within the insurance industry that an insurer interacts with its clients just once or twice a year- for signing, renewals and claims. Apps and social media present insurers with more touchpoints to understand and engage their clients. Telematics and IOT (internet of things) devices enable data analytics, allowing the insurer to deliver more customised and innovative products and services.