What Businesses Can Do About Problem Drinking
Workers who do get help from an EAP usually face another obstacle: insurance coverage for treatment of alcohol problems is often far more restrictive than that provided for other medical problems.
Tight controls on coverage prevent many people from being treated successfully. They include lifetime limits on episodes of care even though addiction to alcohol is a chronic, relapsing disease like asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure, where episodic treatment may be needed. Insurers limit how much treatment people with drinking problems can receive even though research indicates that the longer people are able to continue treatment, the greater the overall return on treatment costs. Some health insurance plans actively discourage patients from seeking care by making people pay more out of their own pockets for alcohol treatment than for other illnesses. Research has shown that the amount of copay makes a difference in how well people are able to manage their alcoholism.
It wouldn't cost employers much to lift these restrictions. Upgrading health insurance coverage to include equitable coverage for addiction to alcohol and other drugs in a managed care plan would cost approximately $5 per member per year. This means that employers can achieve the substantial productivity gains afforded by alcohol treatment for a 0.2 percent increase in insurance premiums.
Providing equitable coverage for alcohol treatment is essential but it isn't the only strategy business should consider. Employers can also upgrade healthcare services to provide alcohol screening and brief intervention in a managed care environment. Brief interventions for employees who screen positive for alcohol problems but are not yet addicted increase productivity and reduce health care costs.
