Unum long term disability claims show better outcomes for back disorders
May 02 2019 - 10:34AM
Business Wire
Carl Murphy was sidelined from his 17-year career in the
trucking industry after surgery for chronic back pain. He was able
to rely on his disability benefits but was unsure of his
professional future. In 2018, back disorders – like Murphy’s - were
the third leading cause of long term disability, according to data
from Unum (NYSE: UNM), the world’s leading provider of disability
benefits.
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Carl Murphy had long term disability
insurance through his employer. The former Marine Corps security
guard and 17-year veteran of the trucking industry suffered from
chronic back pain caused by years of wear and tear. (Photo:
Business Wire)
“I wore myself out after 17 years of bending, lifting and
twisting,” Murphy said, whose years of wear and tear caused
degenerative discs and problems with his nerves and spine. “I
wanted to get back to work. I missed being busy.”
While short term disability claims for back disorders have
remained steady over the last decade, long term disability claims
for these conditions have decreased 14 percent. Dr. Edward Alvino,
vice president and lead medical director at Unum, partly attributes
this to the evolution of treatment.
“Patients used to be prescribed restricted activity and pain
medication,” Alvino said. “Today, the health benefits of an active
recovery are clear, and rehabilitation and exercise are critical
pieces of a patient’s treatment plan.”
Another key to recovery for people suffering from back disorders
and other illnesses or injuries is a transitional return-to-work
plan, which allow employees to scale up their work capacity as
their condition improves through reduced or flexible hours.
“Many people recovering from disability want to get back to work
as soon as possible,” said Marcy Ledford, director of Workforce
Solutions at Unum. “But for some conditions, a transitional
return-to-work plan and proper workplace accommodations can improve
the chances of the employee’s long-term success staying at
work.”
When returning to the same job isn’t an option, Unum
rehabilitation specialists help people like Murphy return to work
in a way that’s best for their future.
“I realized if I returned to my previous profession, which
required a lot of manual labor, it would just be a matter of time
before my back gave out again,” Murphy said. “But my vocational
rehabilitation specialist at Unum helped me put my past U.S. Marine
Corps experience to use, and now I work full-time overseeing
security for one of the area’s leading hospitals.”
The Social Security Administration estimates that one in four of
today’s workers will be disabled before they reach retirement.
Disability insurance not only provides a financial benefit for
people who are ill or injured and can’t work, it also provides
support as people recover and return to work.
Unum tracks the reasons behind disability and shares the results
each May, Disability Insurance Awareness Month. Here are the top
causes of disability for 2018:
Long term disability:
Cancer 16% Injury 13% Back disorders
13% Cardiovascular issues 10% Joint disorders 10% Short term
disability: Pregnancy 28% Injury (excluding back) 11% Joint
disorders 8% Cancer 7% Digestive system 6%
In 2018, Unum in the U.S. received 458,800 new disability
claims, paid $3.7 billion in disability benefits, and helped
251,000 people return to work. The company also helped employers
save nearly 69,000 lost workdays and $32 million through
transitional return-to-work efforts for covered employees.
ABOUT UNUMUnum Group is a leading provider of financial
protection benefits in the United States and the United Kingdom and
the leading provider of disability income protection in the world.
Its businesses are Unum US, Colonial Life, Unum UK, and Unum
Poland. Unum’s portfolio includes disability, life, accident and
critical illness, dental and vision coverage, which help protect
millions of working people and their families in the event of an
illness or injury. Unum also provides stop-loss coverage to help
self-insured employers protect against unanticipated medical costs.
The company reported revenues of $11.6 billion in 2018, and
provided $7.2 billion in benefits.
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Kelly Spencer 423-294-4508Kspencer2@unum.com
Unum (NYSE:UNM)
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