Latest news in Health benefits

Workplace stress on the rise as mental-health stigma declines: survey

Workplace stress on the rise as mental-health stigma declines: survey

Workplace stress is on the rise and employees are feeling the pressure, according to new research by Morneau Shepell Ltd. In a survey of employees…

  • By: Staff
  • January 30, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 10:30
Dubious chiropractic claims show need for more scrutiny on paramedical expenses

Dubious chiropractic claims show need for more scrutiny on paramedical expenses

Not all chiropractors practice according to the same philosophy. This is leading some in the benefits industry to believe more scrutiny is necessary when it comes to paramedical…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • January 30, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
How to predict benefits plan spending for January 2020

How to predict benefits plan spending for January 2020

Something interesting happened this month as we examined the 2018 experience of two different plan sponsors in two separate geographies with different demographics. The only similarity between…

  • January 29, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 08:30
Employers, insurers have role in managing benefits plan sustainability

Employers, insurers have role in managing benefits plan sustainability

While insurers are consistently providing innovative plan design options for employers, that doesn’t detract from the reality that it’s a difficult time for employers, according to…

Accompass appoints VP in benefits, health practice

Accompass appoints VP in benefits, health practice

Accompass Inc., a division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., is appointing Sherry Shaw as a vice-president in its benefits and health practice. With 26 years of experience in…

  • By: Staff
  • January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:10
B.C. nurses’ massage benefits costs up $28M since 2008

B.C. nurses’ massage benefits costs up $28M since 2008

While a new collective agreement negotiated between the British Columbia Nurses’ Union and the Health Employers Association of B.C. won’t bring significant changes, the round of negotiations did…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • January 23, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
N.S. call centre rehires nearly 500 with added benefits, plans to grow workforce

N.S. call centre rehires nearly 500 with added benefits, plans to grow workforce

A Cape Breton call centre that abruptly shut down last month, tossing hundreds of people out of work, has hired back more than 90 per…

Canada’s growing gig workforce highlights need for portable benefits plan: report

Canada’s growing gig workforce highlights need for portable benefits plan: report

Canada should be considering the feasibility of a portable benefits plan for employees across the country, according to the Public Policy Forum. A portable benefits plan…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • January 21, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 08:15
U.S. employers tightening up benefits offerings: survey

U.S. employers tightening up benefits offerings: survey

Fewer U.S. employees are reporting their employers are offering benefits, according to a new survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald & Associates.…

  • By: Staff
  • January 18, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:17
iA Financial Group launching virtual assistant for pension, benefits members

iA Financial Group launching virtual assistant for pension, benefits members

iA Financial Group is introducing a virtual assistant to help personalize group benefits and pension plan member experience. The virtual assistant can be accessed using Google…

  • By: Staff
  • January 18, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:15
Morneau Shepell to offer online CBT as paramedical benefit

Morneau Shepell to offer online CBT as paramedical benefit

Morneau Shepell Ltd. is offering its internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy program as an approved paramedical benefit through several insurance companies. The program, AbilitiCBT, delivers online…

  • By: Staff
  • January 16, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
Majority of Canadians agree on single-payer pharmacare system: report

Majority of Canadians agree on single-payer pharmacare system: report

A majority of Canadians, health-care providers, labour organizations and employers agree a national single-payer system is an idea whose time has come, according to a…

  • By: Staff
  • January 14, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 10:00
Conference Coverage: 2018 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum

Conference Coverage: 2018 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum

On Dec. 5, the 2018 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in Toronto highlighted the leading issues for plan sponsors to consider in the…

A look at the benefits of patient support programs for plan members, sponsors

A look at the benefits of patient support programs for plan members, sponsors

With patient support programs providing a number of benefits for private plan stakeholders, ongoing digitization is likely to allow even greater connectivity and personalization for patients,…

Employer, private payer considerations around medical cannabis coverage

Employer, private payer considerations around medical cannabis coverage

As plan sponsors and private payers begin integrating medical cannabis coverage into benefits plans, it’s crucial they account for the dynamic nature of the industry and remain…

Opportunities around drug coverage for traditional ‘lifestyle’ issues

Opportunities around drug coverage for traditional ‘lifestyle’ issues

Although certain drug categories have always been considered optional in benefits plans, this may be an opportune time to look at modernizing coverage in a…

Panel addresses pros and cons of pharmacogenetic testing

Panel addresses pros and cons of pharmacogenetic testing

Pharmacogenetic testing can produce significant results for plan members, but it isn’t appropriate for everyone and should never be looked at in isolation, according to…

Shoppers Drug Mart launches medical cannabis e-commerce portal

Shoppers Drug Mart launches medical cannabis e-commerce portal

Shoppers Drug Mart’s e-commerce platform for medical cannabis launched Tuesday, a month after Health Canada licensed the company to sell the product online. Product information…

63% factor wellness offerings into job decision: survey

63% factor wellness offerings into job decision: survey

While 63 per cent of employees consider health and wellness benefits when choosing a job, 29 per cent of employers still don’t offer these benefits, according…

  • By: Staff
  • January 7, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 10:27
Don’t miss these important pension and benefits dates for 2019

Don’t miss these important pension and benefits dates for 2019

As 2018 draws to a close, professionals in the pension, investment, benefits and human resources industries have a number of dates to add to their calendars for the year…

  • By: Staff
  • December 31, 2018 January 12, 2021
  • 09:00
Five benefits trends and issues to watch in 2019

Five benefits trends and issues to watch in 2019

For most of my 25 years in the benefits industry, the pace of change has been more evolutionary than revolutionary. However, the past few years have seen…

  • December 31, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:00
Top 10 health and benefits stories of 2018

Top 10 health and benefits stories of 2018

Trends, benefits fraud and drug coverage led the top health and benefits stories in 2018.  Benefits Canada rounds up the industry’s favourite health and benefits stories of the year:…

  • By: Staff
  • December 27, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
A primer on the group benefits renewal process

A primer on the group benefits renewal process

While the group benefits renewal process may seem like simply a box to tick each year, it’s important to approach the process holistically. “There are…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • December 21, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:56
CLHIA’s CEO lays out some of the big industry topics for 2019

CLHIA’s CEO lays out some of the big industry topics for 2019

As 2018 draws to a close, and the benefits and pension industry looks ahead, what’s next for the year’s biggest topics? Stephen Frank, president and…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • December 21, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:56
A 2018 roundup of the top legal cases in the benefits industry

A 2018 roundup of the top legal cases in the benefits industry

When considering the legal cases attracting the most attention from the pension and benefits industry in 2018, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal’s decision in Talos v.…