February 18, 2021
According to the 2021 Large Employers’ Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey, 90% of surveyed employers count musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions among their top three health care cost trend drivers. This finding is not surprising given how prevalent and costly MSK conditions are.
Employers can consider the following strategies to improve the quality of care delivered to employees with MSK conditions, thus lowering costs for both employers and employees:
- 1 | Offer a Center of Excellence (COE) program for those eligible for a surgical MSK procedure. Include travel and accommodation assistance if possible.
- 2 | Design a utilization management program to ensure that employees receive appropriate MSK care.
- 3 | Provide a virtual second opinion program to help employees struggling with MSK ailments and/or those pursuing surgery. Offer an incentive to employees if possible.
- 4 | Move to a bundled payment reimbursement for high-volume, high-quality providers.
- 5 | Prevent MSK conditions from occurring or progressing by:
- Offering virtual and/or on-site physical therapy;
- Providing first-dollar coverage of physical therapy services;
- Increasing the amount of covered physical therapy/occupational therapy/speech therapy visits;
- Supporting employee ergonomics at the worksite and home office through a self-assessment, expert assessment and/or supportive provisions; and
- Promoting physical well-being to ensure that employees are moving enough throughout the day.
To learn more about these strategies, view the playback video below from the Business Group’s virtual learning series on Addressing Top Cost Conditions, featuring AIM Specialty Health and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. Additionally, more extensive resources can be found to the right.
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