A new report from Sun Life’s Designed for Health series highlights a growing trend in long-term disability (LTD) claims in Canada, with an increasing number of claimants managing multiple chronic conditions.
The report identifies mental disorders, circulatory conditions, and cancer as the leading causes of LTD claims. However, it also notes that many employees on disability leave are experiencing overlapping health issues, adding complexity to their cases and potentially extending the duration of their leave.
Based on drug claims data from more than 1.5 million individuals on LTD, the report found that those on disability are twice as likely to claim medication for a secondary chronic condition compared to individuals not on LTD. They are also three times more likely to claim drugs treating two or more conditions beyond their primary diagnosis. Diabetes, mental health conditions, and cardiovascular disease were among the most frequently identified secondary conditions.
Diabetes, in particular, appeared frequently across the data. Individuals on LTD were nearly three times more likely to have a diabetes-related drug claim than others. Across all plan members, drug claims for diabetes rose by 30% between 2019 and 2023.
“Long-term disability claims are often complex, and our data tells us that Canadians, more than ever, are struggling when it comes to their health and well-being,” said Marie-Chantal Côté, senior vice-president, Sun Life Health. “Dealing with multiple chronic conditions can be challenging and requires a holistic and comprehensive approach to recovery.”
The presence of multiple conditions can make treatment more difficult and delay recovery, which may result in longer LTD durations. Sun Life notes that individuals with comorbidities tend to remain on claim longer than average.
To address these challenges, Sun Life has introduced several initiatives aimed at providing broader support for plan members on disability. These include a psychosocial questionnaire to help case managers assess case complexity and identify additional support needs; Medical Confidence, a service offered through a partnership with Kii Health that aims to reduce wait times for specialist care; and pharmacogenomic testing, which may help individuals identify effective medications sooner by reducing the trial-and-error process.
“The road to recovery looks different for everyone,” said Côté. “When helping an employee return to health, it’s important to look at the full picture of their condition and circumstances in order to develop an appropriate treatment plan.”
Sun Life said it will continue to evaluate and update its disability support strategies to reflect the evolving health landscape and the increasing complexity of long-term disability (LTD) claims in Canada.
