Aviva has announced that their innovative rehabilitation service for musculoskeletal conditions, BacktoBetter, will now be available as standard on Solutions private medical insurance plans for small and medium sized corporate clients.
- Over a quarter of SME claims are for musculoskeletal conditions that will be managed more effectively by the end-to-end rehabilitation service
Aviva has announced that their innovative rehabilitation service for musculoskeletal conditions, BacktoBetter, will now be available as standard on Solutions private medical insurance plans for small and medium sized corporate clients1.
Launched last year to large corporate private medical insurance clients, BacktoBetter has proven highly successful, treating employees with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions quickly and effectively without the need to see a GP, while also reducing claims spend for the client. Its introduction as a standard benefit for SME clients with Aviva’s private medical insurance is one of a number of enhancements that will come into effect from 1 December 2014.
SMEs are heavily reliant on their workforce and any long term absence can be especially costly and have a significant impact. As MSK conditions are currently the third most common cause of long term absence in the UK with around 7.5 million working days lost each year, it is important for SMEs and their employees to be able to quickly access personalised, targeted assistance, to help get employees back to work as quickly as possible.
Aviva’s leading BacktoBetter approach to treating MSK conditions is based on early intervention. Employees are provided with quick and easy access to clinical expertise and there is no need for them to see a GP first. Clinical case managers provide a highly personal end-to-end rehabilitation service, with quick and accurate diagnosis, advice about self management, and a tailored treatment plan with access to high quality clinical experts if required.
Doug Wright, medical director at Aviva UK Health, says: “We’re delighted to extend our successful BacktoBetter service as standard to our SME clients. Our PMI claims data shows that over a quarter, 27%, of our SME clients’ claims are for musculoskeletal conditions such as back, neck, muscle and joint pain.
“If not treated quickly and effectively, injuries can get worse, productivity can drop and the cost of claims spend and absence can quickly rise. BacktoBetter addresses these issues and over 20,000 employees have already benefited from the service and returned to work quickly. Our latest figures also show very high levels of satisfaction with BacktoBetter, with most employees saying they would recommend the service to others.
“The value of the service will be significant for SME clients, helping them to maintain productivity and reducing the impact of MSK related absence on both the organisation and their other employees.”
Large corporate clients using the BacktoBetter service in the last year have seen reductions in absence levels and claims costs, with the cost per MSK claim reducing by an average of 15% for a number of corporate clients, with some clients seeing as much as 30% when compared to unmanaged MSK claims. Over time, the service will help to lower clients’ future private medical insurance costs.
Only 25% of MSK claims require onward referral to a specialist through BacktoBetter, compared with 60% of unmanaged MSK claims – this is because BacktoBetter uses evidence based clinical pathways and only appropriate claims are referred on for specialist intervention.
The enhancements to Aviva’s Solutions private medical insurance for SMEs include:
- BacktoBetter as standard with core cover
- No need to see a GP and a shorter claims journey
- No excess on physiotherapy treatment
- No impact on out-patient limit for physiotherapy treatment
- Choice of over 1,500 clinics throughout the UK
- Member excess choices to now include £250 and £500 excesses
- Increased out-patient psychiatric benefit as standard on all policies from £1,000 to £2,000
- Increased out-patient limit choices to include £0 and £1,500 limits
- Introduction of NHS cash benefit of £100 a day for cancer treatment, with no limit on the number of days that can be claimed.
- Enhanced ‘Routine and GP referred services’ option, including cover for claims for consultations and diagnostic tests for a chronic condition, and follow up consultations after treatments have finished to monitor an acute condition.
Aviva’s expertise in fully managed pathways for MSK conditions is supported by a strategic partnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and with clinical healthcare providers HCML and Nuffield Health.
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If you are a journalist and would like further information, please contact: Melissa Loughran: Aviva Press Office: 01904 452791: 07800 691947: Melissa.loughran@aviva.co.uk
Notes to editors:
- Aviva’s Solutions Private Medical Insurance is for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with 2-249 members.
- Aviva provides 31 million customers with insurance, savings and investment products.
- We are one of the UK’s leading insurers and one of Europe’s leading providers of life and general insurance.
- We combine strong life insurance, general insurance and asset management businesses under one powerful brand.
- We are committed to serving our customers well in order to build a stronger, sustainable business, which makes a positive contribution to society, and for which our people are proud to work.
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