Latest news in Health benefits

Have your say: Did Commons committee get it right on pharmacare?

Have your say: Did Commons committee get it right on pharmacare?

In last week’s report on pharmacare, the House of Commons’ standing committee on health recommended a significant departure from the current mix of private drug…

Workplace disability coverage drops significantly from 2015

Workplace disability coverage drops significantly from 2015

Less than half of working Canadians have disability coverage provided through their workplace benefits, according to a survey by RBC Insurance Services Inc. The survey,…

  • By: Staff
  • April 24, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:59
France-based insurer acquires Benecaid

France-based insurer acquires Benecaid

France-based insurance company April has acquired Benecaid Health Benefits Solutions Inc. The acquisition will allow the Lyon, France-based company to expand and diversify the Canadian side…

Great-West Life expands mental-health coverage, adds paramedical benefits for staff

Great-West Life expands mental-health coverage, adds paramedical benefits for staff

Great-West Life Assurance Co. is expanding its benefits offering to employees, including increasing the maximum coverage for mental-health services to $5,000 a year, eliminating prescription drug deductibles…

  • By: Staff
  • April 19, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:30
Commons committee recommends national pharmacare program

Commons committee recommends national pharmacare program

The House of Commons’ standing committee on health is recommending the creation of a universal, single public payer prescription drug coverage program for all Canadians.…

  • By: Staff
  • April 19, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 10:15
Virtual care among ‘dramatic change’ predicted for benefits plans in future

Virtual care among ‘dramatic change’ predicted for benefits plans in future

One of the biggest changes in the benefits industry over the next five years will be the movement towards virtual care as a standalone category,…

MedReleaf introduces identification numbers for medical pot products

MedReleaf introduces identification numbers for medical pot products

Canadian cannabis producer MedReleaf Corp. has introduced a product identification number for 57 of its medical marijuana products in an effort to facilitate coverage in…

  • By: Staff
  • April 16, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 10:20
A look at one company’s experience with pharmacogenetic testing

A look at one company’s experience with pharmacogenetic testing

At General Electric Co. Canada, part of Dr. Sol Sax’s job as consultant and medical director is to support and refine the company’s disability management process. That process…

Youth drug claims cut in half since launch of OHIP+

Youth drug claims cut in half since launch of OHIP+

Since Ontario’s youth pharmacare program took effect on Jan. 1, the number of drug claims for those under the age of 25 has been cut…

Hub acquires Vancouver-based benefits, consulting firm

Hub acquires Vancouver-based benefits, consulting firm

Hub International Ltd. has acquired Vancouver-based employee benefits and pension consulting firm ES3 Insurance Services Ltd. The company operates as ES3 Advisory and was founded…

  • By: Staff
  • April 6, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:48
Hub International acquires Ontario-based retirement, benefits firm

Hub International acquires Ontario-based retirement, benefits firm

Hub International Ltd. has acquired Windsor, Ont.-based retirement and benefits firm the Benefits Company Inc. The deal follows a recent string of acquisitions by Hub International over the…

  • By: Staff
  • April 4, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 10:18
Pension and benefits highlights of the Ontario budget

Pension and benefits highlights of the Ontario budget

On Wednesday, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa unveiled his 2018 budget ahead of the upcoming provincial election. Benefits Canada has narrowed down the key budget items that…

  • By: Staff
  • March 29, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:57
OHIP+ for seniors a ‘significant win’ for employers with retiree benefits plans

OHIP+ for seniors a ‘significant win’ for employers with retiree benefits plans

Ontario’s move to expand its youth pharmacare program to seniors in 2019 could be a significant win for plan sponsors offering retiree benefits. “A company would…

Ontario unveils new drug, dental coverage for people without workplace benefits

Ontario unveils new drug, dental coverage for people without workplace benefits

While Wednesday’s provincial budget in Ontario offered details on the inclusion of seniors in the government’s pharmacare program, Ontarians over age 65 aren’t the only cohort set to…

Ontario Trillium program sees rise in young users, spend on high-cost drugs

Ontario Trillium program sees rise in young users, spend on high-cost drugs

The number of Ontarians using the Trillium drug program increased threefold between the beginning of 2000 and the end of 2016, according to a new…

  • By: Staff
  • March 27, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:30
Have your say: Is benefits fraud a widespread problem?

Have your say: Is benefits fraud a widespread problem?

With fraud prevention month underway, just how big of a problem is the issue for plan sponsors? “As an industry, we estimate that benefits fraud…

Lower generic prices not a cure for drug cost pressures

Lower generic prices not a cure for drug cost pressures

The announcement in late January that 70 of the most commonly prescribed drugs will see their prices fall by as much as 40 per cent on April 1…

  • March 26, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:14
Manager in Sudbury benefits fraud case ordered to pay $20M to former employer

Manager in Sudbury benefits fraud case ordered to pay $20M to former employer

A former Atlas Copco Canada Inc. manager sentenced to jail time for his part in a benefits kickback scheme now faces a $20-million bill from his…

Canadian employers expect rise in medical leaves due to mental health: survey

Canadian employers expect rise in medical leaves due to mental health: survey

Forty-two per cent of Canadian employers are anticipating an increase in medical leaves related to mental-health concerns and illnesses, according to a report by the Conference Board…

  • By: Staff
  • March 22, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 17:34
Tilray seeks to become preferred medical marijuana supplier to Pharmasave

Tilray seeks to become preferred medical marijuana supplier to Pharmasave

Medical marijuana producer Tilray Canada Ltd. is entering into a letter of intent to become the preferred supplier for Pharmasave. Subject to federal regulations legalizing marijuana, Tilray…

  • By: Staff
  • March 22, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
Lung cancer ‘not one big disease’

Lung cancer ‘not one big disease’

The vast amount of variation in a disease such as lung cancer often signals different treatment options for patients. At the Employers Cancer Care Summit…

Conference coverage: Employers Cancer Care Summit

Conference coverage: Employers Cancer Care Summit

With all of the new cancer treatments emerging, how can employers better manage issues related to the disease from a workplace perspective? With a roster of…

  • March 20, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 13:36
A look at best practices for managing cancer in the workplace

A look at best practices for managing cancer in the workplace

After reviewing, summarizing and translating more than 40 academic studies on cancer in the workplace, Chris Bonnett, principal consultant at H3 Consulting, found no lack…

Options for supporting employees in the return to work

Options for supporting employees in the return to work

Many employers want to do everything they can to support employees dealing with cancer. But what are some of the most effective ways of offering…

A primer on the role of drug access navigators

A primer on the role of drug access navigators

Among the sessions at the 2018 Employers Cancer Care Summit was a primer on the role and services of a drug access navigator in allowing…