A study of large, self-insured employers on the barriers and benefits of managing employees’ chronic conditions.
The CDC reports that the cost in lost productivity alone for five chronic diseases or risk factors—high blood pressure, diabetes, physical inactivity, obesity, and smoking—is over $36 billion each year, while The Milken Institute estimates chronic conditions as a whole cost the U.S. economy more than $1 trillion.
The healthcare utilization costs are equally staggering: Some 90% of America’s $3.5 trillion annual healthcare costs are spent on people with chronic physical and mental health conditions. COVID-19 is taking an emotional toll on U.S. adults and making mental health issues more widespread.
To understand the perspectives of large, self-insured employers in managing chronic conditions— as well as how to navigate the growing number of potential chronic condition management solutions—healthcare consultancy Sage Growth Partners interviewed 12 industry leaders and conducted a quantitative survey that received 230 responses in the summer of 2020. The research was conducted after the COVID-19 pandemic had struck and employers were settling into a routine of a largely remote workforce.
