Employee Mental Health Costs Rise Twice as Fast as All Other Medical Expenses

Data from Aetna Behavioral Health found corporate spending on employee mental health programs has been rising rapidly, with annual costs climbing twice as fast as all other medical expenses in recent years, reports CNBC . Meanwhile, a Willis Towers Watson poll noted workers with depression, bipolar disorder, or substance abuse cost employers more money, and make six times as many emergency room visits as the overall population. They also submit two to four times as many medical claims, with depressives submitting an average of $14,967 annually, versus $5,929 annually for the total population. Some companies are prioritizing improving the costs and treatment of mental illness, with 57 percent of surveyed employers saying they plan to focus on mental and behavioral health to a great or "very great extent" over the next three years. "We all have a point at which stress can creep into negatively impacting our overall health and wellness," says Darcy Gruttadaro with the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. "Employers are increasingly recognizing ... the importance of taking care of health, well-being, and mental health, and also the role stress, isolation, loneliness, and some of these other factors can play in overall mental health and well-being." Aetna Behavioral Health's Mark Friedlander notes employers' behavioral health costs have increased more than 10 percent annually over the last five years, compared with an annual rise of 5 percent for other medical costs. He suggests this trend may be positive, because "as things expand on the behavioral health side, there may overall be benefits on the medical cost side."