The Blind Man and the Elephant

“24-hour coverage” – providing medical care regardless of the work-relatedness of the condition – was the cutting-edge topic in the early ‘90s. It was cutting edge, that is, until managed care made employers complacent about medical-cost growth. But larger employers saw another problem: lost work time driving productivity declines. Their first foray into looking across benefits programs centered on integrating occupational and non-occupational disability, and emphasizing disability management and return to work.