Help your Clients minimize the workplace effects of chronic disease
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We’re excited to announce the release of our new report Chronic disease in the workplace – New insights and strategies to support employee health. This report leverages data from our own claims database of over 3 million plan members. It provides a unique and detailed view of how chronic disease is impacting workplaces today.
The incidence of chronic disease – such as diabetes, arthritis, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions – is on the rise. Today, more employees are managing chronic health conditions than ever before.
The rising incidence of chronic disease can affect your Clients in many ways. These can include costs related to absences, disability claims and benefits plan utilization. You can help by encouraging your Clients to support their employees through available solutions.
Key Findings
Here are some key findings:
- Almost half (45.1%) of Canadians live with at least one major chronic disease.1
- Chronic diseases cost Canadian individuals and employers $122 billion annually in indirect income and productivity losses.2
- Younger plan members are increasingly impacted.3 Chronic disease drug claims have grown the most for those under 30 years of age. Women’s claims for diabetes drugs are growing 40% faster than men’s claims.4
- Digital solutions and new personalized health coaching can significantly improve employee health and minimize the impact of chronic disease on the workplace.
The effects of chronic disease extend beyond just the individual. Disability, absenteeism, lost productivity and the costs of drugs and other treatments can all have a big impact. These can affect your Clients’ employees, their workplace, and the sustainability of their group benefits plan.
The good news is that many chronic conditions are preventable. Workplaces that have wellness and prevention programs can see better health outcomes. And when they can’t be prevented, they can often be managed. Employers who can support employees in managing their chronic conditions can mitigate the effects.
Key Solutions
Workplace supports for managing chronic disease are evolving, and many involve no cost to your Clients. Our solutions related to preventing and/or addressing chronic disease include:
- Lumino HealthTM Pharmacy,5 provided by Pillway,6 including chronic disease coaching7
- Lumino Health Centre
Plan members who live in Québec have access to pharmacy services provided by Pharmacie Abd-El-Monem Osman, Inc. through the Lumino Health Platform.8
Staying informed
We encourage you to read, share and discuss our new report, Chronic disease in the workplace – New insights and strategies to support employee health, with your Clients. Employers can lead the way in helping employees with chronic conditions access appropriate care and promote health.
Communications plan
We’ll send a Focus Update to Plan Sponsors on October 17, 2024.
Questions? We’re here to help.
Please contact your Sun Life Group Benefits representative.
1Statistics Canada, Health of Canadians, 2023
2Government of Canada. Evaluation of the Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention – Multi-Sectoral Partnerships (MSP) Program 2014-15 to 2018-19
3Sun Life claims data
4Sun Life claims data
TMUsed under license by Simpill Health Group Inc.
5Pharmacy services are provided by Pillway.
6SHG Pharmacy Inc. and SHG West Pharmacy Inc., doing business as Pillway pharmacies, are partially owned by Simpill Health Group Inc. For your information, and as a point of disclosure, Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada has partial ownership in Simpill Health Group Inc.
7Support Team members are from Pillway and LifestyleRx and include pharmacists, physicians, and registered dieticians. At this time, coaching for Québec-based plan members is not available due to provincial regulations.
8For employees who live in the province of Québec, Lumino Health online platform connects plan member to pharmacy services which are provided by Pharmacie Abd-El-Monem Osman, Inc.