The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that productivity losses due to behavioral health issues cost U.S. businesses $225 billion annually. (Image: Shutterstock)
A health system based in Minneapolis has launched a program to place mental health providers at businesses and workplaces, saying that quicker access to treatment will result in lower claims and a healthier workforce down the road.
It's a departure from the traditional way businesses handle mental health benefits, which usually involve an employee assistance program (EAP). Instead of an EAP screening employees by phone and directing them to an in-network provider—a process that can take time—the new approach skips the middleman and gives workers access to providers who can be onsite or in some cases, at a nearby Fairview facility. Since all Fairview primary care clinics have behavioral care providers, access to care will be quicker and easier in either case than many EAP programs can provide.
High costs, directly and indirectly
Estimates on the cost of behavioral health issues for employer-sponsored health plans vary, but all agree the cost is high—and not just for treatment. The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that productivity losses due to behavioral health issues cost U.S. businesses $225 billion annually.
According to Rene Coult-Calendine, Fairview's vice president of market and product development, the health system became interested in taking a new approach to treating mental health after working with employers on claims data. “The feedback we received indicated that behavioral health issues were showing up as a top-five health item for medical claims,” says. “This program would encourage people to get help sooner,” Coult-Calendine says. “The system eliminates barriers; people will know where to go for help. And getting help sooner means that we're more likely to resolve the issues earlier in the process. We believe that will save the employer money both with claims costs and productivity.”
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