As a business leader, you’re constantly evaluating the ROI of your investments, from software to new hires. But one of the most critical, high-return investments you can make is hidden in your employee benefits package—specifically, in how you support chronic disease management.

When it comes to Type 1 diabetes (T1D), “good” benefits aren’t just a perk; they are a vital business strategy.

T1D is a 24/7/365 autoimmune disease that requires constant management. It’s not a “lifestyle” condition; it’s a demanding, data-driven, and expensive full-time job that employees and their caregivers must perform in addition to their actual jobs.

And the cost of a company getting this wrong is staggering.

The Business Cost of Inadequate Support

Ignoring the specific needs of the T1D community isn’t just a lapse in empathy; it’s a direct hit to your bottom line.

  • Massive Productivity Loss: Poorly managed diabetes is a drain on productivity. One study found that T1D can cause a 23% loss in work productivity. This isn’t about a lack of effort. It’s the physical and mental toll of managing blood sugar swings, which can cause fatigue, brain fog, and anxiety. It’s also the time spent in the “second shift” of T1D: fighting with insurers, counting carbs, and treating urgent low-blood-sugar episodes.
  • The Caregiver Crisis: This productivity loss isn’t limited to the individual with T1D. A parent or caregiver of a child with T1D is often severely sleep-deprived, checking their child’s blood sugar alarms all night. This chronic exhaustion leads directly to increased absenteeism, presenteeism (being at work but not fully functional), and high-stress levels. One recent survey found 42% of caregivers feel workplace-related anxiety tied to diabetes management.
  • The High-Deductible Trap: High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) are often the default, but for an employee with T1D, they can be a financial disaster. When a family has to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket before their “benefits” even kick in, they are forced to make impossible choices. Studies show this leads to medication and supply rationing, which in turn leads to more emergency room visits and hospitalizations. You haven’t saved money; you’ve just shifted the cost to your stop-loss policy and your employee’s long-term health.
  • A Revolving Door of Talent: Modern diabetes technology—like Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps—is not optional. It’s life-sustaining. When a talented employee or a top candidate sees that your plan doesn’t cover these devices, or that the insulin co-pay is hundreds of dollars, they will leave for a competitor who understands their needs.

The math is simple: Investing in preventive, high-quality T1D care is exponentially cheaper than paying for the emergency care and talent loss that results from not covering it.

Solution-Focused Benefits: How to Build a Package That Supports and Retains

You can transform your benefits from a liability into a powerful tool for retention and productivity. Here’s how.

1. Redesign Your Health Plans
  • Cap Insulin Costs: No employee should pay hundreds of dollars for the one medication they cannot live without. Follow the lead of many states and companies by capping insulin co-pays at $35 per month. This is a low-cost, high-impact change that provides immediate financial and mental relief.
  • Cover the Tech (with $0 Co-Pay): Treat CGMs and insulin pumps like the life-saving, non-optional equipment they are. By making these devices available with little to no co-pay (and classifying them as a pharmacy benefit to avoid the deductible), you are enabling your employees to manage their health effectively. The ROI? Drastically reduced hospitalizations, fewer ER visits, and a massive improvement in daily productivity and well-being.
  • Offer Low-Deductible Plan Options: Continue to offer HDHPs, but ensure you also offer a low-deductible PPO or HMO plan. For an employee with a chronic illness, the slightly higher premium is a small price to pay for the predictability and immediate access to care, and it will keep them loyal to your company.
  • Eliminate “Prior Authorizations” for T1D Supplies: Stop forcing employees to fight for their health. Prior authorizations create dangerous delays in care and add an immense administrative burden to employees and their doctors, often for medications and devices that are not optional. Work with your insurer to remove these barriers for all essential, life-sustaining diabetes supplies.
2. Embrace Real Flexibility

For employees with T1D and their caregivers, time and flexibility are as valuable as money.

  • Provide Flexible Scheduling: Allow a parent to start their day later after a rough night of alarms. Let an employee block 15 minutes on their calendar for a private, stress-free site change for their insulin pump. This costs the company nothing and builds immense loyalty.
  • Rethink “Sick” Days: Create a separate, generous leave policy for “Chronic Condition Management.” This allows an employee to attend their quarterly endocrinologist appointments or a caregiver to take their child to the doctor without burning through vacation time or feeling “guilty” for using a sick day when they aren’t “sick.”
  • Support Remote & Hybrid Work: The ability to work from home is a game-changer for the T1D community. It allows for better food management, the privacy to handle a sudden low blood sugar, and the flexibility caregivers need to be available for their child’s school nurse.
3. Support the Human, Not Just the “Patient”
  • Offer a Health Savings Account (HSA) Contribution: If you offer an HDHP, help fund it. Your contribution can bridge the gap and ensure your employee can afford their first few months of supplies without financial panic.
  • Provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The mental health burden of T1D is immense. Ensure your EAP has resources specifically for managing the stress and burnout of chronic illness, both for individuals and caregivers.

The choice is clear. You can continue to pay the high, hidden costs of poor support—in lost productivity, turnover, and avoidable medical crises. Or, you can make smart, strategic investments in your benefits package that build a healthier, more loyal, and more productive workforce.