Millennials and their children are high users of the health-care system compared to other generations. They also experience chronic conditions at significant rates.
The Health Action Council and UnitedHealth Group explored a range of factors and claims data from UnitedHealthcare, UMR and Optum that may affect the health of members of this generation, who were born between 1981 and 1996. "Through this analysis, employers can learn about health trends that may impact their organizations and consider strategies that help to support employee health and may help to minimize medical spend," according to the Millennials and their children: Significant health findings report.
Among the key findings:
- Medical risks. Compared to Generation X, millennials with common chronic medical conditions greatly exceed utilization. This may indicate the potential for higher future utilization and increased spend by plan sponsors.
- Behavioral health. Compared to prepandemic rates, behavioral health utilization is up 35% for millennials and their children. Anxiety, depression and trauma disorders make up two-thirds of behavioral diagnoses for millennials. Not surprisingly, per- member per-month spend also has increased.
- Pregnancy. It is the top clinical cost driver for millennials, accounting for 21% of employer per-employee per-month spend.
- Parenting. Millennial parents have 38% higher utilization than those born to other generations.
Related: Women who give birth incur $19,000 in additional health costs
The report offers 10 practical tips for employers to improve worker health and minimize future medical costs:
- Continue to manage high-cost claimants while developing, implementing and engaging employees in activities that will keep them healthy.
- Implement and promote disease prevention and lifestyle modification programs to delay and manage the onset of chronic conditions.
- Educate employees on where and when to obtain care and the value of treatment protocols on their quality of life both in the short and long term and the value of preventable disease immunizations.
- Continue targeted fitness campaigns that combat obesity.
- Review corporate HR and pay-scale policies to determine if they are driving inappropriate utilization or creating perpetual gender pay disparities.
- Support employee mental health by encouraging behaviors that help employees maintain balance or provide rebalance.
- Consider implementing flexible HR policies to help address the conflict parents and caregivers may experience when focusing on their children's needs and managing work responsibilities.
- Include family planning benefits to mitigate the risk associated with holding off on having a family.
- Expand engagement and involve the entire family in healthy practices, because children mirror their parents' health.
- Offer financial planning services, financial health tips and/or a savings strategy or a student loan repayment benefit to employees.
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