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UNUMPROVIDENT RESEARCH POINTS TO VALUE OF INTEGRATED CLAIM
MANAGEMENT
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., May 25, 2006 —
New research from UnumProvident (NYSE: UNM) shows that customers who integrate
family and medical leave management with disability leave management report, on
average, savings of nearly $12,000 per 100 disability claimants when compared
to customers with disability management services only.
"Today's employers often face complicated health and productivity challenges,"
says Kenneth Mitchell, Ph.D, vice president of return to work program
development. "Our research clearly demonstrates that the management of family
and medical leave with short-term disability can reduce the delay in claims
submission and identify individuals with high risk for repeat claims."
This research compared UnumProvident customers with integrated leave management
services to customers having only disability management. The claim cost was
lower for customers with integrated leave management services. The customers
with integrated services reported:
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A 22 percent reduction in the average lost work days per short-term disability
claim
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A 36 percent reduction in the percentage of repeat short-term disability
claimants
UnumProvident studied lost time data from 2001 to 2004 on 144,460 employees.
The study population was analyzed based on their utilization or non-utilization
of FML leaves and disability claims.
UnumProvident's research also begins to recognize the demographic and policy
factors that contribute to lost time. For example, employees who are female and
older are more likely to experience a family leave event that progresses to
disability, and are more likely to report an intermittent leave.
"Human resource managers are looking closely at their employee benefits to
better understand the interrelationship and collective impact of these benefits
on employee productivity," says Rob Hecker, vice president of leave management.
"It is fast becoming a priority to better integrate and coordinate the core
benefits of sick leave, healthcare, disability and mandated family leave."
A copy of the report "Managing the Lost Time Benefits Connection" can be found
at http://www.unumprovident.com/newsroom/news/reference.aspx
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