Formulated for pharma: Benefits that work harder
Explore benefit strategies designed to help pharmaceutical employers support complex workforce needs and manage costs.
The pharmaceutical industry is built on precision, innovation and high-stakes work. Employees in this sector often have access to richer benefits, including prescription medications covered at little or no cost. They also tend to stay enrolled in their plans and engage with wellness at a higher rate. But richer coverage doesn’t automatically lead to better outcomes or lower costs. For employers, that can create a unique challenge: how to keep a highly engaged workforce supported while making sure their health plan is meeting the needs of employees.
Industry pressures may also affect employee well-being. UnitedHealthcare data shows that employees in the pharmaceutical industry have higher costs tied to complex and chronic conditions, higher behavioral health utilization and higher autism prevalence and spend.1
These trends point to a workforce that may need more than broad access to care but benefit strategies that are tailored to their health risks, life stages and expectations for personalized support.
Prescribing benefits for pharmaceutical employees
1. Offer plan options built for a specialized population
A traditional high deductible health plan (HDHP) may not be the best fit for every pharmaceutical employee. Offering a range of plan designs, including options with intuitive digital experiences and upfront cost information, may help employees choose the coverage and care that works best for them. A plan like Surest® allows members to see and compare actual copays before they receive care, which can support more informed decisions and potential savings.
2. Support women’s health at every life stage
With a slightly older, female-leaning workforce, benefits that support fertility, maternity, neonatal care and menopause may help employees access support that better fits their life stage. Digital health solutions, like Maven, may also help employees find care and resources more easily.
3. Help employees manage behavioral health challenges
Pharmaceutical employees use behavioral health care at higher rates than the broader UnitedHealthcare book of business. Robust behavioral health solutions, including self-care apps like Calm Health®, that can help address lower-severity needs, may enable employees to build skills that manage personal and professional stressors.
4. Consider focusing clinical support on complex condition management
Complex and chronic conditions can drive higher costs. In fact, they account for 80% of total health care spend according to UnitedHealthcare data.2 Condition-specific clinical programs focused on areas such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease may help improve the employee experience, support evidence-based care and manage costs.
5. Reward healthy actions and preventive care participation
Employees in this industry already show strong wellness engagement. Incentive programs that reward healthy actions, such as walking, cycling or tracking sleep, along with communications that reinforce preventive care, may help employees get and stay healthier.
Choosing a carrier for complex workforce needs
Pharmacy employers are navigating a unique set of workforce pressures, yet there are proven opportunities to strengthen employee well-being, retention and organizational performance. For pharmaceutical employers, it’s important to work with a carrier that can help turn workforce insights into practical benefits strategies. UnitedHealthcare has decades of experience serving clients across industries, with account teams that help employers understand cost drivers, navigate complexity and design benefits that support employees while delivering more value from the health plan.
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