Mental-health claims by Canadians have increased by 132 per cent since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report by GreenShield. The report, which compiled data from the insurer’s claims database between 2020 to 2023, found women and younger generations account for the majority of mental-health services accessed. Among those accessing mental-health services, stress […]
The use of obesity medications among Canadian employer-sponsored benefits plan members has grown substantially, with claims increasing 42 per cent in 2023 and roughly 92 per cent since 2020, according to a new report by Manulife Financial Corp. The report, based on aggregate claims data, found more women are using obesity drugs than men (79 […]
This Mental Health Week and beyond, employers can support employee mental health using digital toolkits, mental-health coaching and by providing adequate coverage, says Marie-Chantal Côtè, senior vice-president of group benefits at Sun Life Financial Inc. Mental-health practitioner claims more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, according to a recent report by Sun Life that examined claims […]
In 2023, diabetes medications remained the leading drug category for eligible private insurance claims for the second consecutive year, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report. The report, based on claims data from more than 15 million plan members in 2023, found the growing prevalence of diabetes, along with expanded heart failure treatment indications and […]
A story about the B.C. Lottery Corp.’s new inclusive holiday program was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week. 1. BCLC allowing employees to swap statutory holidays for personal, cultural days of significance 2. My Take: Obesity should be treated like […]
Data analysis, education and early intervention are the key components of First West Credit Union’s Live Well employee health program, according to Liz Bailey-Connor, the organization’s chief people and culture officer, speaking during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health Summit. “We were hearing from employees that they felt overwhelmed and, in some cases, […]
In 2022, some of the top chronic conditions affecting group benefits plans were diabetes, obesity, depression and arthritis. Diabetes was the No. 1 ranked condition for drug claims in 2022, knocking rheumatoid arthritis down to the No. 2 spot, according to Telus Health’s annual drug plan trends report. And the 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey […]
In 2022, Beneva Inc.’s fraud management department noticed unusual activity under a plan member’s account. The insurer’s artificial intelligence tool, used to analyze millions of benefits claims, flagged that a plan member and the person’s dependant had used up all their maximum coverages within a short period of time. When the plan coverage rolled over […]
I’m sitting down to write this on the hottest day so far in 2023. Environment Canada has issued a multi-day heat warning in my region — today, it’s 31 degrees Celsius but feels closer to 40, the humidity is 70 per cent, pressure is 101.3 kilopascal and the UV index is seven. This is the […]
While ChatGPT is helping benefits communications become more efficient, detailed and reliable, the risks may outweigh the rewards when it comes to full automation, says Tom Milne, a principal at Normandin Beaudry. The possibilities for generative artificial intelligence in the benefits space are infinite, he says, noting the algorithms are helping expedite the research and […]