Chronic pain and disability | Finding the right balance

The Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey 2024¹ illustrates the key role that group insurance plans can play in organizations.

In this third and final article on this extensive survey, we analyze the challenges facing plan sponsors amid the rise in health issues related to chronic pain and illness, as well as the impacts for disability management. We also offer possible solutions.

Chronic conditions

The survey offers some noteworthy insights in terms of chronic pain and illness. For example, 58% of people said they had been diagnosed with and were living with at least one chronic health issue. This is up slightly from 54% in 2023.

Plan sponsors, on the other hand, estimate that 41% of their staff are dealing with a chronic issue. This number is relatively stable compared with 2023 (43%).

Clearly, plan sponsors are underestimating the number of employees dealing with chronic health issues on a daily basis. As a result, we feel it’s important for them to address the matter, since chronic pain can have a negative impact on an organization’s productivity and the wellbeing of its staff.

We also note that over 38% of group plan members report living with officially diagnosed or self-diagnosed chronic pain. What’s more, 22% of these people complain that pain makes it more difficult for them to carry out their daily tasks.

We see this as a factor that could increase the incidence of disability, which is defined as a person’s functional limitations that prevent them from performing all the essential duties of their job.

An opportunity for plan sponsors

Group insurance plans offer several types of protection to help people improve their health, including financial protection when they have to take time off due to disability. However, we believe that plan sponsors would benefit from offering accommodation solutions designed to help their employees stay at work or reduce the length of their disability. 

These support measures could include a work accommodation assessment, such as a modified work schedule or modified duties. Ergonomic assessments can also be done to help reduce chronic pain. This could allow affected individuals to remain on the job and avoid missing work due to disability.

As plan costs continue to rise, these kinds of solutions could help plan sponsors keep costs more in check, maintain productivity, and reduce the indirect costs of disability-related absences such as overtime for other employees, hiring and training of new staff, and burnout of existing staff which could lead to more people on disability.

Complementing disability coverage

The survey also reveals that 49% of plan sponsors offer long-term disability benefits, and 44% offer short-term disability benefits. As well, more than half of plan sponsors say they help plan members navigate the healthcare system. A third of them specify, however, that this assistance is only available to people on disability.

The way we see it, this reinforces the importance of the accommodation solutions mentioned earlier. In addition to helping minimize the use of disability benefits, these kinds of solutions could help maintain an income for people who don’t have disability insurance, even if their health deteriorates. 

Targeting overall wellbeing

We also note that people who have had chronic ailments, injuries or serious illnesses seem to make more effort to change their lifestyle and treat their condition.

For example, 40% report eating healthier, compared with 35% in 2023, and 38% are more physically active, compared with 34% the previous year. The use of medication, while continuing to be the primary method of treatment, dropped to 41% in 2024 versus 46% in 2023.

This leads us to conclude that, despite current economic challenges, plan sponsors have a vested interest in striking the right balance between the needs of their employees and the management of healthcare costs. That’s why we emphasize the importance of long-term wellness strategies, safeguards and tailored support services.

We feel that priority should also be given to promoting a culture of prevention within organizations. We believe the conditions for success are already in place, as we’ve seen that plan members are more motivated to change their lifestyle habits when they have easier access to information and solutions. 

We’re seeing it more and more: a change in lifestyle habits, combined with medication and regular follow-up by health specialists, can produce a lasting improvement in a person’s quality of life.

In this regard, seven out of ten plan sponsors have a well-documented long-term wellness strategy, or are in the process of developing one.

In our opinion, this highlights their commitment to the overall health and wellbeing of their plan members.

To learn more

Read our other analyses of the Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey 2024:

• Financial stress and mental health | Thoughts from our expert
• Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey | Thoughts from our expert