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It's no secret: U.S. companies are dealing with the impact of rising healthcare costs when it comes to taking care of their employees. Employers need to consider not just the direct costs of health, but also the indirect costs, such as absenteeism and diminished worker productivity.

To help businesses improve health and control costs, the CDC Foundation's latest issue of Business Pulse outlines how the “CDC is partnering with businesses, health insurance plans and doctors to help improve health and control healthcare costs for conditions including tobacco use, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and healthcare-associated infections.”

Among the facts the report points out:

• Cigarette smoking is the single-largest cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, killing more than 480,000 Americans each year.
• High blood pressure is one of the 10 most expensive health conditions for U.S. employers. About 75 million U.S. adults have high blood pressure, a major contributor to heart disease and stroke.
• Nearly 1 in 11 people in the United States have diabetes; medical costs for people with diabetes are twice as high as for people without diabetes
• In 2008, asthma caused 14.2 million missed days of work.

To help businesses address the costs related to these health issues — as well as consider how to implement proactive program design — the CDC provides various resources for businesses to consider: “CDC offers America’s employers and insurers proven guidelines and information to help employees stay healthy and prevent costly disease. Explore cost-saving health interventions in key areas that benefit employers and insurers including tobacco use, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and healthcare-associated infections.”

Finally, the CDC Foundation provides a useful, interactive infographic that outlines what you need to know.