Plan sponsors with growing concerns about benefits plan sustainability should focus on a few strategic pharmacy benefits plan issues, said Mark Rolnick, executive vice-president of pharmacy innovation and patient experience at Green Shield Canada, during a session at Benefits Canada’s Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum on Dec. 9, 2020. He recommended that plans […]
Analysis by Telus Health found specialty drugs have grown from 11 per cent of total private drug plan claims costs in 2008 to 30 per cent in 2019 and require effective management to ensure sustainability of health benefits plans, said Suzanne Lepage, private health plan strategist, during a session at Benefits Canada’s Face to Face […]
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is bringing the topic of wills and estate planning out of the dark and into the light for some employers. Mainstream news reports and personal social media feeds often mention daily death counts as the world battles the second wave. In response, some employers are starting to more openly talk about and […]
While group benefits plans can help employees access essential mental-health support, barriers still exist that keep people from receiving the care they need. And with the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating mental-health problems, providing adequate and affordable care is more critical than ever. “There is a critical need for ongoing collaboration between all segments of the corporate and professional […]
With the coronavirus pandemic forcing us all into social distancing measures for the majority of 2020, one inevitable side-effect is the substantial growth in our digital interactions. For my part, I’ve caught up with colleagues on Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business, attended a baby shower and a baby naming ceremony over Zoom, bought clothes […]
Today’s consumer culture includes shopping online, booking vacations on smartphones and receiving recommendations for the next must-watch movie or television show based on most recent views. So it’s no surprise employees are starting to expect the same level of technology in their benefits plans and communications. “Today’s technologies — as well as consumer expectations — […]
TMX Group Ltd.’s robust communications campaign for its long-standing employee share purchase plan led to a win in the benefits plan communications category at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 16. In April 2020, the financial services company branded its ESPP with the slogan “Think like an owner, be an owner,” encouraging an ownership mentality among staff. The […]
The costs of employer medical benefits around the globe are forecasted to rise 7.2 per cent in 2021, outpacing general inflation by five per cent, according to a new medical trends report by Aon. “There is still a significant amount of uncertainty regarding COVID-19’s impact on deferred treatments and long-term health care,” said Tim Nimmer, Aon’s […]
While medical cannabis coverage is appearing in more benefits plans, most insurers that cover it still have very specific conditions. Sun Life Canada covers the most conditions, at seven, after adding two ailments to its roster in 2019. Marie-Chantal Côté, the insurer’s vice-president of market development for group benefits, says evidence is emerging that shows […]
Nearly half (45 per cent) of U.S. employers see investments in health and well-being as an integral part of their workplace strategy, compared to 36 per cent that said the same in 2019 and 27 per cent in 2018, according to an annual survey by Business Group on Health. The survey, which polled 122 large employers with […]