Latest news in Health benefits

A look at the evolving role of pharmacists in drug plan management

As pharmacists’ scope of practice evolves across the country, their expanded role in drug plan management can improve plan member health and positively impact plan…

Four drug plan management strategies to help bend the cost curve

With the cost of drug claims continuing to rise in 2021, benefits plan sponsors can enable certain drug programs to curb costs, keeping their plans…

Innovative new drugs improve health outcomes, productivity and plan sponsors’ bottom lines

While a transplant can be life-altering for a patient as a permanent cure for their underlying condition, it can also profoundly affect their immune system,…

What problems need to be solved when it comes to rare diseases?

About a million Canadians are impacted by rare diseases, which disproportionately affect younger patients — 70 per cent start in childhood and, sadly, half of…

An update on vaccine coverage in private drug plans

While vaccine coverage varies across provincial drug plans, several million Canadians who are members of private drug plans don’t have coverage at all, according to…

From patient to plan sponsor, how health benefits can turn a life around

Living with a rare chronic disease while also managing an employer-sponsored benefits plan provides Chris MacLeod with a unique perspective. During a session supported by Vertex…

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Domtar, Unifor agreements include pension, benefits gains

The union representing 450 employees at Domtar Corp. in Dryden, Ont. has ratified three collective agreements that include benefits and pension gains. The agreements include…

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Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week

An article on how employers can use ‘Blue Monday’ as an opportunity to discuss mental health was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last…

  • By: Staff
  • January 20, 2023 January 19, 2023
  • 09:00

Employees who feel they don’t belong at work more likely to quit: survey

Employees who feel like they don’t belong at their workplace are 59 per cent more likely to consider quitting their job due to mental-health concerns,…

  • By: Staff
  • January 19, 2023 January 18, 2023
  • 09:00

Acera Insurance merging with Calgary-based Fairfield Watson

Acera Insurance is merging with Fairfield Watson Inc., a Calgary-based consulting firm specializing in employee benefits, insurance and retirement. The new company will retain the Acera…

  • By: Staff
  • January 18, 2023 January 18, 2023
  • 15:00

Walmart enhancing benefits plan with fertility treatments, gender affirmation

Walmart Canada is enhancing its employee benefits plan with coverage for fertility treatments and gender affirmation. Nadia Cerisano, vice-president of total rewards and global mobility…

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Survey finds sales of U.S. supplemental health insurance products increasing

Sales of U.S. workplace supplemental health insurance products totalled US$2.1 billion in the first nine months of 2022, rising 11 per cent year over year,…

  • By: Staff
  • January 17, 2023 January 16, 2023
  • 09:00

Employers can use ‘Blue Monday’ to reset workplace mental-health strategies

The third Monday in January, also known as ‘Blue Monday,’ is considered to be the saddest day of the year, as people contend with frigid…

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Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week

An article on the potential impacts of Alberta withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here…

  • By: Staff
  • January 13, 2023 January 12, 2023
  • 09:00

Employer-sponsored health benefits costs projected to rise 7.5% in 2023: report

The costs of employer-sponsored medical benefits in Canada are expected to rise 7.5 per cent in 2023, according to a new report by Aon. The…

  • By: Staff
  • January 13, 2023 January 12, 2023
  • 09:00
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Co-operators acquiring Smart Employee Benefits

Co-operators Financial Services Ltd. is acquiring Mississauga, Ont.-based Smart Employee Benefits Inc. Following the acquisition, Smart Employee Benefits will continue to operate as a standalone…

  • By: Staff
  • January 6, 2023 January 5, 2023
  • 09:00

My Take: Support tools important when bringing employees back to the workplace

Over the past year, a number of employers have mandated that employees return to the physical office, citing the need for in-person collaboration and social…

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Expert panel: How employers can support employee mental health in 2023

The coronavirus pandemic put mental health squarely on employers’ agendas and this focus on employee well-being is even more important as some organizations return to…

Top 10 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of 2022

Amid the lingering coronavirus pandemic, vaccination policies and paid sick leave were top of mind among Benefits Canada’s readers in 2022. However, stories about new…

  • By: Staff
  • December 23, 2022 December 22, 2022
  • 09:00

Webinar coverage: Biomarkers can improve selection of appropriate treatment for severe asthma

Approximately three million Canadians live with asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects airways, limits airflow and makes breathing difficult, said Dr. Erika Penz, associate professor…

Gallagher acquiring Buck for US$660 million

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is acquiring BCHR Holdings — also known as Buck — for US$660 million. Through the agreement, Gallagher will expand its…

  • By: Staff
  • December 21, 2022 December 20, 2022
  • 09:00

PwC Canada supporting employees with enhanced fertility, surrogacy benefits

PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada is supporting employees with enhanced family-building benefits. The enhanced benefits, provided by Sun Life Financial Inc., include coverage for procedures and drugs related…

  • By: Sadie Janes
  • December 21, 2022 December 21, 2022
  • 09:00

Survey finds 74% of U.S. employers offering hybrid work arrangements

Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of U.S. employers say they offer hybrid work arrangements, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee…

  • By: Staff
  • December 20, 2022 December 20, 2022
  • 09:00

Webinar coverage: Employee well-being, collaboration and accommodation all part of the future of work

As the coronavirus crisis moves into an endemic phase, employers are diligently rebuilding their workplaces to suit the new working environment that’s emerged from this…

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Survey finds half of Canadian employees are looking for a new job

Half (50 per cent) of Canadian employees say they’re currently looking for a new job or plan to begin their search in the first half…

  • By: Staff
  • December 16, 2022 December 16, 2022
  • 15:00