Given the volume and depth of data available in benefits plans, as well as the complexity of problems to be solved, machine learning and broader artificial intelligence are unquestionably the future of plan and member health management. That said, there are some important challenges for plan sponsors to consider as they look at these new […]
The Ontario government is launching a review of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to ensure the province’s employees and their families remain supported and protected in the workplace. The review will be conducted by Linda Regner Dykeman and Sean Speer, special advisors who’ve been appointed based on their respective areas of expertise in insurance and […]
Medavie Blue Cross is launching a pharmacogenetic testing pilot project to help group benefits plan members find ideal medication and dosing amounts. The project uses GeneYouIn Inc.’s Pillcheck cheek-swab DNA test, analyzing patients’ genes to understand how their bodies might process certain medications. After the test, the swabs are destroyed for patient privacy. While the project will initially […]
Manulife is launching a preventative opioid management program, extending its Vitality program to group benefits plans and partnering with digital health company Akira Health. The opioid management program features a two-step system. The first ensures plan members who start opioid treatment do so with a short-term supply, while the second encourages using short-acting opioids at the outset. […]
Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is changing how premium rates are calculated for almost 300,000 registered businesses across the province. The WSIB hasn’t changed its rate setting scheme for more than 20 years, says Pamela Steer, the board’s chief financial officer. “We really looked at how we could change the offering to our customers, such that […]
The number of people who received regular employment insurance benefits increased by 4,400 in February, a rise of one per cent since January, according to new data from Statistics Canada. Most of the increase was observed among those employed in manufacturing and utilities, which rose 4.7 per cent, while there was a smaller increase of 1.6 […]
The Ontario Court of Appeal has ordered a full trial for an employee who sued for $300,000 in long-term disability benefits despite signing a document that released such claims. The decision in Swampillai v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada reverses a lower court decision that summarily found the release to be “unconscionable.” […]
Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. is partnering with Acclaim Ability Management Inc. to offer one-on-one coaching services to employees on short-term disability leave with mental-health issues. With the goal of getting their employees back to work sooner, employers can choose between two offerings to lower the risk of STD turning into a long-term disability leave. “We’re taking employee support to the […]
Despite repeated promises to fix the mess, the number of veterans waiting to find out whether they qualify for disability benefits has continued to grow, and there are fears the turmoil will only worsen in the coming weeks. New figures from Veterans Affairs Canada show nearly 40,000 veterans were waiting at the end of November […]
Mental Health Works has developed a free resource that is now available to help employers and managers of Ontario businesses looking for ways to address mental health in the workplace. “As public awareness of mental health increases, more and more employers have a desire to provide mental-health support to their employees,” said Jim Harris, director […]