Employee mental health is an area of increasing concern to most organizations. Stress, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions are on the rise and impact absenteeism, productivity, turnover, and increased medical and legal costs.
$300 billion
Calculated total economic cost of stress on US employers¹
Employees need to better understand their benefits.
Following extraordinary work disruptions during the pandemic, employers are more aware of – and more sympathetic to – the mental health of their employees.
But when employees are unaware of available programs or frustrated by their perceived complexity, this can ironically add to the stress these benefits are intended to address. This in turn can result in employees taking no action, leading to low utilization of benefits and increased health care costs.
50%
of people who have a diagnosed mental health issue don’t receive treatment.2
It’s our job to help them find the most effective care.
22%
of people with a diagnosed behavioral condition account for 41% of health care spend.2
Finding the right care can feel challenging, making it even more difficult to address mental health conditions. It’s not always easy to find the right therapist, and it can take time to find the perfect fit. What’s more, the demand for care is much higher than the supply of providers, which often leads to delays in care, poor patient outcomes and higher health care costs.
Everyone benefits.
The good news is that when employees access and utilize their behavioral health benefits and start to receive treatment for conditions such as anxiety, depression or substance use disorder, they have fewer emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations as well as lower total health care costs.
up to $2,565 in savings when people who are newly diagnosed with a behavioral condition receive treatment3
Helping guide your employees
Working with Cigna HealthcareSM, employers can help employees see a clear picture of their available behavioral health benefits and receive guidance on how to access and use them.
Streamlined access to care
Making it easy for employees to find the care they need and navigate their benefits through the myCigna® website and app
Proactive health management
Delivering personalized recommendations and communications based on predictive models, combined with deep clinical expertise to help proactively identify and address serious health conditions before they arise
Flexible care options
Providing access to a range of care options, including phone-based, digital, virtual and at-home support
Personalized coaching
Encouraging engagement in personalized coaching programs to improve overall health
Chronic condition management
Providing 24/7 guidance to employees with chronic conditions throughout their care plans and treatment journeys, ensuring they receive the support needed to manage their whole health effectively
Addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce
Our commitment to employee access and use of their behavioral health benefits includes growing the diversity and accessibility of our network providers – offering greater access to more convenient care. Network enhancements we’ve made include:
46%
increase in non-white providers in the past two years.4
21%
increase in providers with a cultural or race-related counseling specialty in the past year.4
18.5%
increase in providers with LGBTQ+ clinical specialization in the past year.4
115,000
virtual providers the largest virtual network in the country.4
Creating a supportive culture of health
To achieve the best mental health outcomes for your workforce, you need to create a culture where benefits are properly utilized and getting high rates of engagement. In addition to offering the right behavioral health benefits, clear, personalized guidance is needed so employees are always supported and never feel lost.
- The American Institute of Stress. “What Is The True Cost Of Work-Related Stress?” April 20, 2022. https://www.stress.org/what-is-the-true-cost-of-work-related-stress
- Evernorth Health Services. “22% of people have a diagnosed behavioral condition. They account for 41% of health care spend.” May 31, 2023. https://www.evernorth.com/articles/putting-behavioral-health-top-mind-research
- Internal Evernorth analysis performed 2022. Associated medical and pharmacy cost savings are over a 15-month period following treatment for a new behavioral health diagnosis in the US. Results may vary, and savings are not guaranteed.
- Employee stress is costly to businesses. Cigna Healthcare Newsroom. https://newsroom.cigna.com/stress-burnout-care-access-navigation