The numbers in the Toronto Transit Commission’s benefits fraud investigation are staggering — 725 total cases, 220 dismissals, 120 arbitrations, 10 employees charged and more than $3 million in exposure. “All this stuff is still ongoing. The insurance company hasn’t cut us a cheque yet,” Mark Russell, staff sergeant, investigative services at the TTC, told attendees at […]
Dental benefits accounted for $7.9 billion of the $32.5 billion spent on extended health services by group or individual insurance plans in 2016, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s most recent data. And dental spend is rising significantly, from $4.1 billion in 2006 and $2.3 billion in 1996. But these figures tend […]
The majority (84 per cent) of organizations in Canada’s non-profit sector said inconsistent revenue or funding is the biggest barrier to offering a pension plan, according to a survey by Common Good Retirement Initiative. Three-quarters (73 per cent) of survey respondents said offering a plan would be too expensive, 59 per cent said it would be […]
On Sept. 20, the 2018 Halifax Benefits Summit featured insightful sessions on benefits, health and wellness and drug plan trends. With population numbers struggling in the Maritimes, the conference looked at how companies can ensure they’re providing plan members with the best, most competitive benefits options in order to attract and retain talent. Here are some of the highlights of […]
Perceptions of pharmacists are behind the times. While plan members, and even plan sponsors, may see the role of the pharmacist as primarily counting pills, there’s much more that goes into filling a prescription, delegates heard at the 2018 Halifax Benefits Summit in September. This includes keeping up to date with medications, talking with patients and thinking […]
Creating and supporting an environment of diversity and inclusion is top of mind for most employers today. With increasing globalization and a highly competitive marketplace, organizations need to respond to demographic changes in the communities where they do business. As well, research shows that having a diverse and inclusive workforce allows organizations to attract and retain […]
The idea that health, drug and retirement benefits draw in top executive talent is overly simplistic and worth delving into deeper, according to Jonathan Foster, vice-president of executive compensation at Accompass Inc. The vast majority of organizations hiring executives offer a benefits plan, so having one is no longer a distinguishing factor for an employer, said Foster at […]
The majority (81 per cent) of plan sponsors said they have a philosophy or long-term view that defines why they offer benefits plans and that guides their decision-making, according to the 2018 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Employers with a wellness culture are more likely (88 per cent) to have a philosophy around their benefits plan, compared […]
With governments having announced a number of changes related to pharmaceutical policy, plan sponsors are facing a shifting environment for their drug plans. “There are a lot of things happening today in the world of pharmaceuticals, drug plans, benefit plans, pricing, reimbursement and access to drugs,” said Wayne Critchley, senior associate for the health and […]
Managing costs is the top benefits priority for American employers in 2018, according to an annual survey by global insurance brokerage Hub International Ltd. The survey, which polled 300 American employee benefits professionals, found helping employees make more informed benefits decisions (44 per cent) and improving wellness and productivity (32 per cent) also ranked highly on employer’s lists […]