Unum long term disability claims show better outcomes for back disorders

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.–(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.

“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:

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 UNUM
Unum
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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Contacts

Kelly Spencer 423-294-4508
[email protected]