News Archive

"“I think the magnitude was not something we anticipated, but we did anticipate that there would be more than a trivial number of people who would have some use of prescription medications,” said Brian Gifford, Oakland-based director of research and analytics for the independent research firm that helps companies link data with health programs to enhance productivity and business performance."
Anchorage Daily News Online Apr 24, 2019
How is Medicaid used in Alaska? Test your knowledge
"Health and productivity research group the Integrated Benefits Institute estimates that lost productivity due to illness costs U.S. employers about $530 billion annually."
"Use of prescription pain medications are associated with approximately 261 lost workdays per 1,000 workers per month, according to a new study released by the Integrated Benefits Institute"
Corporate Wellness Magazine Apr 19, 2019
What Does Employee Engagement mean to You?
"Another very sizeable consideration is the fact that ill-health related productivity loss is estimated to cost the U.S. economy in excess of $530 Billion annually, based upon 2018 data from the Integrated Benefits Institute, a San Francisco-based leader in benchmarking in the health and productivity market. Similarly, the lost productivity is the U.S. amounts to over 1.4 Billion days of absence or impaired performance annually."
"According to a study from the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), about a third of the workforce uses prescription pain medications, most under the treatment of a physician. “Opioids, Pain and Absence” The Productivity Implications of Substance Use Among U.S. Workers” is their analysis on workplace costs related to problematic use of pain relievers."
Human Resource Executive Online Apr 18, 2019
How Widespread Is Pain-Med Usage in the Workplace?
"When it comes to addressing the opioids epidemic, the implications for employers often center on the risk of on-the-job accidents or difficulties in filling job vacancies in areas heavily affected by addiction and dependence. But according to the IBI study, “this may not only underrepresent the more pervasive productivity impact of lost work time, but also obscures the larger issues of chronic pain and substance use more generally.”"
"“The high rates of prescription pain medicines among employees indicates a much larger issue for employers than lost productivity,” says IBI researcher Erin Peterson, MPH, the report’s first author. “The significant number of sick day absences by employees who use pain relievers without problems likely doesn’t represent the full impact. As most people abusing opioids started with prescribed medications, this is a very large number of people at risk for developing problematic behaviors associated with pain relievers.”"
Business Insurance Online Apr 17, 2019
One-third of workers use pain relievers: Study
"One in three workers reported using pain relievers with the majority of those on prescriptions drugs and under 5% of workers reported abuse of pain relievers or dependence, according to a study released Wednesday by the Integrated Benefits Institute."
"“We’re in real market transition right now, and employers are finally driving this in a way they haven’t driven it before,” says Tom Parry, president of the Integrated Benefits Institute"
Employers are not only looking for individual solutions; they’re turning to one another to increase their market power and to make meaningful changes for themselves and their employees. “We’re in real market transition right now, and employers are finally driving this in a way they haven’t driven it before,” says Tom Parry, president of the Integrated Benefits Institute
"As price and upfront cost continue to dominate the headlines, a substantive policy conversation among all different healthcare stakeholders about what constitutes value is needed. Without such inclusive dialogue, the value narrative will continue to revolve solely around “whether to pay or not to pay” for a particular intervention."
Future of Business and Tech Mar 11, 2019
Investing in a Healthy Workforce Pays Dividends for Businesses
"You’d be hard-pressed to find a CEO or CFO that would accept their business expending the equivalent of almost two-thirds of their health care dollars on lost productivity, and most would agree we can’t afford to ignore the health of our workforce. "
The Wellable Blog Mar 6, 2019
6 Tips For Building A Culture Of Health
"Unwell employees cost U.S. employers $530 billion in productivity each year. That lack of productivity translates to decreased innovation, creativity, and engagement. Research indicates that well-being closely relates to key health outcomes such as lower rates of healthcare utilization, workplace absenteeism and workplace performance, reduction in obesity status, and the occurrence of chronic diseases."
"Treating the psychological effects of climate change won’t come cheap. The Integrated Benefits Institute, a nonprofit insurance research group, notes that mood disorders lead to lost productivity and expensive short-term disability leaves."
"For every 1,000 US employees, mood disorders in the workforce cost about $232,000 in excess health care treatments and lost work time, and disability claims for mood disorders cost about $9,800 per employee. “These are not trivial,” says Brian Gifford, IBI’s director of research and analytics."
"Companies need to look beyond just the financial numbers, experts say. Instead, look at the bigger picture, from health risk and claims data to how new treatments and therapies can impact employee productivity and presenteeism, as a way to improve customer service and save on health costs."
WorkersCompensation Feb 8, 2019
Lower Temps = More Mental Health Claims, Study Says
"Bitter cold temperatures drive some workers to experience mood disorders, according to new research. The findings are especially noteworthy, as claims associated with mental health issues typically incur more lost work days than many other conditions."
"A recent report by Integrated Benefits Institute found that lost productivity from illness costs employers $530 billion annually, or 60 cents for every dollar they spend on health coverage."
"Employers ... spend more than $880 billion on healthcare."
Employee Benefit Adviser Nov 29, 2018
What benefits insiders are saying about the CVS-Aetna deal
“When two large companies merge in different segments of the healthcare industry, one of two outcomes is often the case: better integrate their operations to drive broader value to employers — in this case, better medication adherence, better care, lower costs and greater productivity. Or operate the two entities as stand-alone with a segmented profit-maximizing focus. We’ll watch closely to see which model prevails.”
“It’s critical that employers understand how strategies for managing healthcare spend — such as cost- shifting to employees or ensuring better access and more cost-effective care — can impact the kinds of conditions that drive illness-related lost productivity.”