Unum (NYSE: UNM) has enhanced the wellness benefit of its critical illness products by adding the H1N1 vaccine to the list of qualifying procedures.
“Employee absence, even in the best of times, can strain the ability of companies to meet their business obligations. This year, the H1N1 flu virus is adding extra stress in the workplace,” said Scott Brown, product director at Unum. “By offering this benefit to our existing and new critical illness customers, we hope to encourage a bit of prevention that will help businesses maintain their productivity.”
This limited-time-offer from Unum will be available for the 2009-2010 flu season and provides another option on the menu of qualifying procedures. It enriches the critical illness product that was the No. 1 seller in the voluntary benefits market for the past four years, as reported by Eastbridge Consulting Group, and to Unum’s new group critical illness offering.
The group critical illness wellness benefit is $75 per year, and the individual health screening benefit rider pays $50. Covered individuals can submit a simple claim to Unum to get their benefit, even if they don’t incur a personal cost for the vaccine. Unum is waiving the 30-day waiting period for new individual policyholders to encourage employees to take advantage of this important preventive service.
Other screenings eligible for the wellness benefit include colonoscopy, mammography, Pap smear, PSA test for prostate cancer, serum cholesterol test, among others.