Getting ahead of cardiodiabesity: how integrated care can help

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Even if you’re unfamiliar with the term cardiodiabesity, chances are you know someone who has cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or obesity. It could be your friend, family member, or coworker. Or it could even be you.

What is cardiodiabesity?

Cardiodiabesity happens when you have all three conditions. Alone, any of these conditions can compromise your health and make you less productive at work. Combined, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity pose an even greater threat. Left unmanaged, cardiodiabesity can lead to early disability and even death. 

Coping with the costs of cardiodiabesity

As the combination of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease becomes more common, the financial burden increases for patients, employers, and everyone.

  • Diabetes affects 38.4 million people in the U.S., or 11.6% of the population. The direct medical costs of caring for diabetes in 2022 was $307 billion.1
  • Nearly 42% of U.S. adults have obesity—now widely recognized as a complex medical condition that is a major determinant of disability and death.2 Medical costs are $1,861 higher for adults with obesity compared to people with a healthy weight.3

In addition to lost work, there’s the cost of testing, treatment, and surgery. Then there are pharmaceutical costs that can vary widely based on the condition. As new medications flood the market – such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists for weight loss – much of the expense falls to employers.

What is integrated health care and how can it help reverse the trend?

Given the shared burdens, it makes sense for employees and employers to work together to address cardiodiabesity conditions. A plan with integrated health care benefits is key.

Integrated health care benefits connect medical, behavioral, pharmacy, and clinical data and processes. The result is coordinated care that’s holistic – meaning it’s oriented toward both body and mind.

By integrating interventions, services, and support, Cigna Healthcare plans empower employees to take charge. That’s better by design.

Cigna Healthcare’s Value of Integration Study, which evaluates the impact of medical, pharmacy, and comprehensive behavioral benefit integration on annual total medical costs proves that integration can impact the costs associated with cardiodiabesity. When members with a diagnosed condition and engaged in a health improvement plan, the following savings were seen:

  • $10,414 PMPY savings for members with obesity4
  • $851 PMPY savings for members with diabetes4

By integrating interventions, services, and support, Cigna Healthcare plans empower employees to take charge. That’s better by design. 

What is integrated care and how can it help reverse the trend?

Cigna Healthcare’s Value of Integration Study, which evaluates the impact of medical, pharmacy and comprehensive behavioral benefit integration on annual total medical costs proves that integration can impact the costs associated with cardiodiabesity. When members with a diagnosed condition and engaged in a health improvement plan, the following savings were seen:

  • $10,414 PMPY savings for members with obesity7
  • $851 PMPY savings for members with diabetes7

By integrating interventions, services, and support, Cigna Healthcare plans empower employees to take charge. That’s better by design. 

Helping people lead healthier lives

Here’s how Cigna Healthcare solutions target unique needs:

  • Maintain focus on the individual, with attention paid to social determinants of health, industry-specific conditions, and more.
  • Collaborate with employers to understand their specific employee demographics and business goals.
  • Customize recommendations based on programs that have been successful for similar populations in the past.

The solutions focus on everyday monitoring, helping patients take their medications as prescribed, and lowering costs. The goal is to help people lead healthier, more active lifestyles and avoid developing cardiodiabesity conditions.

The makings of an epidemic

If cardiodiabesity still sounds like a far-off concern, consider how it’s evolved. Here’s a look at the numbers:

  • The rate of U.S. adult obesity rose from 30.5% to 41.9% between 1999 and 2020.5
  • Diabetes prevalence among U.S. adults increased from 10.3% to 13.2% between 2001 and 2020.6
  • Meanwhile, the U.S. heart failure mortality rate has reached new heights after a decade of decline, a 2024 JAMA Cariology study found. The rate reached 106 per 100,000 in 2021, up from 82 per 100,000 in 2012. This rate had fallen from 105 per 100,000 people in 1999.7      

Take the next step

As the rates of obesity, cardiovascular/heart disease, and diabetes trend upward, cardiodiabesity is shaping up to be a historic health crisis. That’s why it’s critical for employers to offer integrated plans that make health care more personalized and easier to use. These plans reduce costs and drive business growth. And they can help save lives.

Health care that’s better by design

Discover how Cigna Healthcare supports you in life’s ordinary and extraordinary health moments through predictive, personalized, and connected experiences.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Diabetes Statistics Report. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/?
  2. The Lancet Public Health. “Obesity prevention: changing perspectives.” Volume 8, Issue 3, E161, March 2023. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468- 2667(23)00033-6/fulltext
  3. CDC. “Adult Obesity Facts.” Last reviewed May 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/php/data-research/adult-obesity-facts.html?
  4. Cigna Healthcare 2024 National Book of Business study of 2023 claims of medical customers who have Cigna Healthcare integrated medical, pharmacy and Cigna Total Behavioral Health® benefits. Average annual per member per year (PMPY) – Individual client/customer results will vary and are not guaranteed. Cigna Healthcare used a match case-control methodology developed at Harvard University to produce supplementary statistics on different subsets of customers (those with certain comorbidities, who engaged in health improvement activities, etc.) A control group isolates the difference in medical cost. The sample size and methodology are consistent with previous years’ analyses, and do not reflect any selection biases or partialities. Engagement in a health improvement opportunity includes coaching or case management while also taking actions, such as closing a gap in care or receiving additional support.  
  5. Ward ZJ, Bleich S, Long MW, Gortmaker SL. Association of body mass index with health care expenditures in the United States by age and sex. PLoS One. 2021;16(3):e0247307. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247307
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report website. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html Accessed 12/10/2024.
  7. Duke University School of Medicine. Study Shows Alarming Rise in Heart Failure Deaths, Especially Among Younger Adults. By Shantell M. Kirkendoll accessed 12/20/2024.

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Disclaimer:

Product availability may vary by location and plan type and is subject to change.  All group insurance policies may contain exclusions, limitations, reduction in benefits, and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued.  For costs and details of coverage, contact your Cigna Healthcare representative. 

Cigna Healthcare medical products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of The Cigna Group, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT), Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Evernorth Behavioral Health, Inc., Evernorth Care Solutions, Inc., Express Scripts, Inc., or their affiliates, and HMO or service company subsidiaries of Cigna Health Corporation, including Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of California, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Colorado, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Connecticut, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Florida, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Indiana, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of St. Louis, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of New Jersey, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Tennessee, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. In Utah, medical products and services are provided by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT). Policy forms: OK – HP-APP-1 et al., OR – HP-POL38 02-13, TN – HP-POL43/HC-CER1V1 et al. (CHLIC); GSA-COVER, et al. (CHC-TN).

Cigna Healthcare products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of The Cigna Group, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT.) (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Connecticut, Inc., and Cigna Dental Health, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including Cigna Dental Health Plan of Arizona, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of California, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Colorado, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Delaware, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Florida, Inc., a Prepaid Limited Health Services Organization licensed under Chapter 636, Florida Statutes, Cigna Dental Health of Kansas, Inc. (KS & NE), Cigna Dental Health of Kentucky, Inc. (KY & IL), Cigna Dental Health of Maryland, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Missouri, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of New Jersey, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Ohio, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Pennsylvania, Inc., Cigna Dental Health of Texas, Inc., and Cigna Dental Health of Virginia, Inc.  In Utah, all products and services are provided by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT).  CHLIC policy forms: OK –HP-POL899 et al., POL115; OR - HP-POL862 et al., HP-POL121 04-10; TN – HP-POL767/HCDFB-CVR28 et al., HP-POL134/HC-CER17V1 et al.

Cigna Healthcare vision products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of The Cigna Group, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT). Cigna Healthcare vision plans are only available to employers who also offer a Cigna Healthcare group medical or dental product to their employees.

Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of The Cigna Group, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT). THESE POLICIES PAY LIMITED BENEFITS ONLY. THEY ARE NOT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND DO NOT COVER ALL MEDICAL EXPENSES. THIS COVERAGE DOES NOT SATISFY THE “MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE” OR INDIVIDUAL MANDATE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA). THIS COVERAGE IS NOT MEDICAID OR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE.