Employees with both CIGNA disability and medical coverage who also suffer a short-term disability are more likely to return to work and spend less time on leave than those without the integrated program, thus saving on the employer's bottom line, according to a new CIGNA study.

"Reining in costs associated with employee absence is an imperative for employers," says Mark Marsters, senior vice president of group operations for CIGNA. "CIGNA's integrated disability and medical programs provide more opportunities to encourage and engage employees to improve their health and reduce disability absence, which benefits the employees as well as their employers."

Integrated program participants were absent 20 percent less than those with only disability coverage. If a day of disability costs an employer $159, a 5,000-employee company covered by CIGNA medical and disability programs could anticipate 2,500 fewer days of disability, for an approximate $397,500 cost and productivity savings.