How to Support Employees with Diabetes

Opinion

By Dr. Ana Stankovic

Type 2 diabetes is more than a personal health challenge. It’s a growing workforce challenge, too.

Diabetes costs the U.S. economy approximately $413 billion annually, including more than $106 billion in lost productivity. With more than 38 million Americans living with diabetes and nearly 95% of those cases being type 2, the condition can impact productivity, increase healthcare costs, and affect employee well-being.

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for employers. With the right tools and support, employers can play a pivotal role in helping their workforce manage and even work to improve their type 2 diabetes.

Here’s how a strategic investment in employee health can help drive measurable outcomes and long-term savings for employers and their workforces.

Why should employers take action? Employers have a unique opportunity to influence the trajectory of type 2 diabetes within their workforces. In Massachusetts, 8.5% of adults are currently living with diabetes, and an estimated 31,000 more will be diagnosed each year.

By investing in proactive, data-driven health strategies, organizations can help employees work to improve their condition, prevent disease progression, and reduce potential and costly complications of type 2 diabetes. This not only benefits individuals, but it may help lower healthcare costs and boost productivity.

There is a business case for type 2 diabetes management. When employers take a strategic approach to type 2 diabetes care, the results can be transformative. Programs that combine technology with clinical support have shown measurable improvements in employee health outcomes. Programs like this may enable employers to lower financial risk while supporting employee health. These efforts may also contribute to higher employee satisfaction and retention, which are critical metrics in today’s competitive labor market.

Supporting whole-person wellness is key. Supplemental benefits can support better overall health outcomes. For example, people living with diabetes are at higher risk of certain oral health conditions like gum disease, but regular dental visits can help prevent or treat gum disease. Diabetes can also increase the risk of vision loss, but most diabetes-related vision loss can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Yet, 60% of people with diabetes do not get annual eye exams.

Integrating, or bundling, dental and vision benefits can help give a clearer picture of overall health, close gaps in care, and may lead to better overall experience and lower long-term healthcare costs.

By incorporating evidence-based diabetes management programs and integrating supplemental benefits, employers can demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being while driving measurable impact, better outcomes, and lower costs.

Dr. Ana Stankovic is chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare of New England.