Don't Miss Next Week's Webinar on Changing Workplace Needs
On Wednesday, November 2, our Thought Leadership Series brings new perspectives on the employer workplace and the Great Resignation.
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Industry leader Megan Nail, CCP, SHRM-SCP, CEBS, SPHR-CA, Vice President, Consulting & Total Rewards at NFP, will discuss the effects of the Great Resignation, how the workplace is changing, and what we can do to create a sought-after workplace.
Bring your questions and thoughts as Megan welcomes an interactive session!
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Tracy Hassett, edHEALTH's President and CEO elected as new Board Chair
Great news for the Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA).
The VCIA, one of the largest associations for captives worldwide, provides education and legislative advocacy. Tracy is excited to engage with all captive stakeholders to uncover new ways to offer even greater value to all in the captive space. Read more here.
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Content to Share with your Employees
Downloadable Content Related to October Events.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Depression and Mental Health Awareness Month, and Halloween Safety, we're sharing these downloads to help you spread awareness. You may wish to post on your organization's intranet site or share in ways that fit within your workplace culture.
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Here, we share updates related to what's coming soon and what we may need from you, our member-owner schools.
Member-owner schools, don't forget that your portal has valuable and important information related to your school's account. Recent posts include:
- Quarterly actuarial reports
- High-cost claimant reports (available monthly)
Updated Share-it Content: During our survey last winter, we learned that you prefer content to share that comes from trusted and recognizable third-party sources, like the CDC, other non-profit organizations, and our third-party administrators (your health plans). As we share content in our newsletters, or in between editions, we're also posting on our website. Feel free to download and share.
Strategic Planning Update: Great progress continues! We look forward to sharing the results with all member-owners this winter.
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Learn something new? Like what you read?
Share this newsletter with your colleagues. Forward the email you received to pass along. You can also have them subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our website.
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The Cost of Musculoskeletal Conditions is One of Today's Leading Cost Drivers
How can we improve employee care and lower costs?
How many people do you know who may have shared stories about a bad back, joint replacement or repair, or muscle strain? Whether people were sitting too much during the pandemic or not, treating Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions is one of the country's top high-cost conditions. What can organizations do to help better control costs? Our partners at Spring Consulting Group recently produced a Point Solutions Spotlight on the topic of MSK. With author Grace Giannattasio's permission, we're sharing her informative blog with you.
Executive Summary
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are a driving force behind healthcare spending, representing an estimated 17% of all spending in the US healthcare market. In addition, MSK conditions are the leading contributor to disability worldwide. Some examples of MSK conditions include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, back and neck pain, and fibromyalgia. MSK pain may be acute or chronic, localized, or affecting the entire body. Additionally, conditions may or may not be related to work, creating an added layer of difficulty in understanding the condition and addressing individual patient needs.
Many models currently exist that attempt to control costs related to MSK conditions. While the vendors providing these programs are confident in their success, it can be difficult for employers to select a program that addresses the needs of all employees with relevant conditions. Therefore, a thorough and ongoing review of organizational health data is necessary. For example, what a hospital needs in an MSK program may vary greatly for an employer operating solely out of an office setting. When reviewing workers’ compensation claims, how many are MSK related? If there is a concern, employers may want to start by implementing ergonomic reviews where the employee works to ensure there is nothing at work that is negatively impacting the employee. Other attempts to address MSK costs focus on care and treatment after the injury or disorder exists such as overall wellness programs, one-on-one coaching, and digital physical therapy offered as an employee benefit.
What is the impact on healthcare spend?
- MSK conditions are the top cost driver of healthcare spending, followed by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
- The average health cost per member with MSK conditions increased by 40% between 2010 and 2019.
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COVID-19 aggravated this trend as more workers shifted to remote work; 70% of employees with MSK conditions experienced new or increased pain.
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The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about 30% of workers’ compensation injuries fall under MSK.
As costs have increased, traditional approaches to treating MSK conditions have not shown a corresponding improvement in patient outcomes. This may include surgery, advanced imaging, injections, and pain management. It may be time to consider alternative treatment options to appropriately address these rising costs and employee pain levels.
What alternative models exist?
As employers, employees and providers begin to understand that traditional treatment options may not be the best approach for specific cases, alternative approaches have grown in popularity. Workers’ compensation claimants receiving opioids dropped from 55% to 24% between 2012 and 2018, while there was a 131% increase in the use of massage to address chronic pain, a 26% increase in the use of orthotics, and a 15% increase in the use of physical therapy, according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI).
Employers who have identified a significant impact of MSK conditions on their claim costs should seek programs that can be added to their benefit offering. There is a large market for these alternative treatment options, some components of which are listed below:
- Digital physical therapy clinics using wearable technology
- Pain relief wearable technology
- Custom physical therapy programs and coaching, in person or remote
- Case review by leading medical providers
- Therapy addressing psychology and education of conditions and pain
- Remote work ergonomics
- Focus on chronic pain management
- Corporate wellbeing programs
Specialty MSK vendors track data that implies overall success including a 50% to 70% reduction in pain, 40% to 75% reduction in anxiety and depression, increased adherence and participation in programs, surgery avoidance, and return on investment for employers.
What should I do as an employer interested in an MSK program?
Employers must begin by understanding the cost associated with musculoskeletal conditions within their population, as well as the range of conditions employees may be experiencing. If costs (medical and pharmacy) are significant or increasing, employers should consider alternative programs that would benefit employees and the plan. Identifying a pattern may demonstrate the need for a specific approach like preventive programs or ergonomic assessments.
From there, market research will be necessary to understand pricing and select a vendor with the best program for your population.
Photo by Julien Tromeur
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Interesting reads about topics relevant to today's healthcare needs
Which prescriptions are outpacing inflation? Opioids and their effect on the workplace. Who's coping more with Long COVID? Innovations in mental health benefits.
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What do you want to read here?
We strive to find topics that are informative, helpful, and timely for our readers. Recognizing how busy everyone is, what kinds of articles would you like to see in this newsletter? We want to know! Our goal is for this content to be valuable to all our readers. Please email all ideas and comments to Lisa Barnstein. Thank you.
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