- Key insight: Learn how integrated primary care reduces chronic-condition costs and workforce disengagement.
- What's at stake: Rising chronic disease threatens retention, productivity and escalating employer healthcare spend.
- Expert quote: Dr. Suzanne Morgan says coordinated, on-site primary care and navigation improve chronic-disease management.
- Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review
Benefit leaders are well aware of the
For example, the American Diabetes Association reports that, on top of the $307 billion spent on medical costs for diabetes care in 2022, indirect economic costs including absenteeism, loss of productivity and inability to work due to disease-related disability tacked on more than $100 billion. Around 34 million people currently have
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Advantage of comprehensive care benefits
Offerings that help employees prevent and
"It's a fine line of letting employees off for appointments so they can stay healthier and spend the time they need with their primary care, or with a dietitian if they were referred to one, versus them always being unfortunately dinged for trying to take care of themselves," Morgan says. "Having a primary care provider, whether it's a physician or an NP, to help manage your chronic disease is super important. Having it in house where you can also navigate your dietitian or your health coach is even better."
PeopleOne Health provides physical and mental health care, including in-person access to GPs and specialists like dieticians, along with lab and pharmacy services and 24/7 communication access. The goal is to streamline patient use by putting prevention and treatment paths in the same place. Employers can choose to cover most or all of the cost — an additional incentive for people to stay on top of their health. PeopleOne Health members actively seek out more services and can save as much as $1,600 out-of-pocket in the first year. Companies see double employee engagement and up to 30% savings in healthcare spend, according to company data.
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Working with what you have
If a company doesn't offer a comprehensive platform, benefit leaders can craft communication to make employees aware of all the offerings they may need on their care journey, says Dr. Morgan. The important thing is to educate people on why it's important to go to the doctor, and then equip them to do so, she says.
"You really have to be intentional about educating your employees on what your supporting programs are," Dr. Morgan says. "One of our partners has a very comprehensive benefits manual, and they have several chronic-disease programs so that if someone is diagnosed, or is worried about something like that, or their physician tells them at risk, they have access to those."
This higher level of effort can guide employees toward the care that will keep them healthier in the long run. Dr. Morgan notes the game-changing impact of telehealth, which opens up health and wellness appointment options that are more convenient for employees and their families. She also encourages leaders to openly demonstrate and speak about maintaining a good medical-maintenance routine.
"When it starts with leadership, this improves the overall health and wellness of the whole company," Dr. Morgan explains. "Encouraging people to get their physical and take the time to attend appointments is really a demonstration to the team that they want them to be healthy."
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The payoff is reflected not only in reduction of cost for serious health condition management, but also in employees' morale and ability to show up and perform at work.
"People don't feel like they have to come to work sick when they're sick less," says Dr. Morgan. "In the big picture it's retention, and then it's the day-to-day wellness of the workforce."
