Manulife Canada and its group benefits medical director, the Cleveland Clinic, have released the first ever Employee Health Report on the Canadian workforce. The report looks at rising health claims “to help organizations identify areas for investment in employee health and wellness, and to help group benefits members get more from their benefits,” Manulife states in an announcement about the publication’s release.
Two major trends noted include a sharp increase in the use of medication to treat obesity and substance abuse disorders. The report recommends employers implement targeted health and wellness initiatives, including voluntary health screenings, wellness seminars and information sessions and increased coverage for dietician and nutritional services. “Data suggest that organizations who prioritize employee health experience a reduction in absenteeism and an increase in overall workforce health.”
Productivity
The company says on average organizations are losing 49 days of productivity per employee, per year due to absenteeism and presenteeism. The top three organizations they say have the healthiest workplace cultures, gain 13 additional days of productivity compared to their counterparts.
Surging unique claims for anti-obesity medications, meanwhile, they say underscores a rising trend towards medical intervention for obesity and weight-related issues. “In 2023 alone, Manulife observed a significant 42.3 per cent increase in individuals using anti-obesity drugs and a total increase of 91.9 per cent since 2020.” They say global media coverage may be contributing to growing interest, even in cases where the drugs are not approved treatments by Health Canada.
Alcohol and opioid use disorders
The number of Canadians seeking substance abuse disorder treatments, meanwhile, jumped 17.2 per cent between 2022 and 2023 or 52 per cent since 2020. “Included in the analysis are treatments used for substance use disorders involving alcohol and opioids,” they note. “With increasing demand for medications to treat alcohol and opioid use disorders, the need for comprehensive treatment coverage, including programs like the employee and family assistance program, becomes increasingly important.”
Overall, the company says in 2023, plans spent the most to cover drugs for immune disorders and diabetes. The company also says mental illness, followed by musculoskeletal conditions were the top reasons for both short-term and long-term disability claims. The average age of long-term disability claimants is 48 and 55 per cent of long-term disability claimants are women.
