September 21 2007 - Worker productivity loss and risk of injury and illness challenge
companies more than any other health care issue today. In response, Aetna (NYSE:AET) is introducing Aetna Integrated
Health Solution(SM) (IHS), a progressive new program that is part of the Aetna Health Connections(SM) family of
medical management programs and services, to help control health care and disability costs. With a focus on optimal
employee health and productivity, IHS also provides employers with the tools to build a healthy, engaged and highly
productive workforce.
"Aetna's medical management strategy is to view members holistically - considering multiple diseases
or conditions across all benefit plans - and deliver individualized programs based on each member's unique needs and
preferences," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., Aetna's chief medical officer. "Aetna's Integrated Health Solution
addresses health and productivity challenges with information-driven services that provide both counseling and a
holistic view of the member across our products."
By integrating clinical and system capabilities across products, Aetna care management professionals
can work together to provide health and wellness services tailored to specific conditions. IHS combines a set of
products and services including:
- Medical, including Pharmacy and Behavioral Health
- Long-Term and/or Short-Term Disability
- Disease Management
- Wellness Programs
Program Offered to Mid-Sized and Large Customers
Effective October 1, Aetna's IHS program will benefit eligible employers who offer medical and
disability coverage. As part of the IHS program, participating employers will receive a suite of innovative reports
that not only illustrate their direct health claim costs, but also the indirect costs that result from disability,
absenteeism, and "presenteeism" - or on-the-job productivity loss.
"By participating in the IHS program, companies have a unique opportunity to impact the health and
overall productivity levels of their employees as well as health care costs," said Mary Claire Bonner, senior vice
president of Aetna Small and Middle Market Business. "Until now, the focus of health care costs has been on episodes
of care and their resulting claim costs. Now, with IHS, employers can get a more complete picture of their true health
care costs, including those hidden costs that can significantly impact workforce productivity."
According to Bonner, "Employers with a commitment to wellness and employee engagement are ideal
candidates for the program."
Aetna recently piloted the IHS program with 10 mid-sized and large customers as part of its consumer
directed health care strategy. "Early results have been promising," she said.
The "Cost" of Lost Productivity
Recent research on employee health and wellness shows some telling results:
- Presenteeism -- the state of physically being at work but not performing up to par -- costs businesses $150 billion a year, and lost productivity is 7.5 times higher due to presenteeism than absenteeism.(1)
- U.S. companies lose approximately 2.8 million work days each year because of employee injuries and illnesses.(2)
- Depression costs U.S. employers $35 billion a year in reduced performance at work and conditions such as arthritis, headaches and back problems cost nearly $47 billion.(3)
Furthermore, while direct medical costs account for 24 percent of employers' health care expenses,
the cost of presenteeism accounts for 63 percent4. According to Dr. Brennan, "Presenteeism is now considered to be
the most expensive health-related cost for U.S. companies, and it must be addressed before the overall cost of health
care can be reduced significantly."
Members enter the IHS program by taking Aetna's Simple Steps to a Healthier Life® health assessment,
which includes questions on work limitations and productivity based on health and emotional conditions. If the
member's scores indicate a concern or risk, one-on-one wellness counseling enables both Aetna and the member to
understand the multiple conditions that may impact the member's health and address these conditions holistically
through other programs, often before they involve costly acute-care services.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving
approximately 34.9 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions
about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products
and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care and
disability plans, and medical management capabilities. Our customers include employer groups, individuals,
college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans.
www.aetna.com
- Paul Hemp, "Presenteeism: At Work - But Out of It," Harvard Business Review, October 2004.
- News on Personnel. Labor Relations and Benefits. Braun Consulting News, Vol. 7, No. 4, Winter 2003.
- Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005.
- Harvard Business Review, October 2004.
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