Disability insurance claims due to mental health conditions are on the rise
Mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, are among the top five reasons for both short-term and long-term disability claims.1 As of 2023:
Mental wellness and disability are connected
Whether present since birth, or a sudden new reality, any disability can present challenges that impact mental and emotional health. Likewise, mental health challenges may also become disabilities themselves if left unaddressed.
A dedicated mental wellness solution can provide proactive help, with the personalized care employees need to help manage their disability. So they can feel their best, at work and in life.
Guardian data analysis
>40%
increase in the number of mental health claims2
~60%
increase in total mental health claim costs2
~30%
increase in the number of workdays lost due to mental health claims2
Mental health challenges often coexist with other medical conditions
These medical conditions are also among the top reasons employees take leave.3 For example, mental health conditions are often simultaneously present with:
Post-partum depression
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer
Chronic pain (e.g., osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches)
Creating better outcomes
Integrating mental wellness and disability insurance
Employee mental wellness benefits through Spring Health help you seamlessly integrate proactive, personalized care into the employee experience. So when employees need to take leave or use their Guardian disability insurance, the best possible outcome is always the goal. Here are some ways disability insurance and mental wellness benefits work together:
When employees ask for help
If an employee with a mental health challenge contacts the organization's behavioral health resource, they may be encouraged to take a leave of absence to get better.
Responding to disability leave needs
If an employee sees a physician about a mental health challenge and is approved for disability leave, the claim manager may feel the employee also needs therapy. This is an opportunity to refer the employee to their mental wellness resource.
Proactive post-partum support
If a new mother with post-partum anxiety or depression hasn't seen her doctor in six to eight weeks, her disability claim manager may refer her to the behavioral health resource for help.
Provide employees with personalized, precise support
A dedicated mental wellness solution can tailor a care plan to their needs, whether they need to take leave due to a disability, or want help coping with one.