An article on the Ontario Court of Appeal’s affirmation of a $1.5 million punitive damages award was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pensions and investment articles of the past week: 1. Court of Appeal upholds $1.5 million punitive damages award in LTD claims case 2. N.B. transferring 5 public […]
Amid an increase in diabetes diagnoses among Canadians, pharmacists can play a greater role in employers’ and private payers’ chronic disease prevention and management strategies given their increasing scope of practice, said representatives for Health Solutions by Shoppers, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by Health Solutions by Shoppers in January. As […]
The federal minister in charge of promoting competition says he’s concerned about a deal between Manulife Financial Corp. and Loblaw Cos. Ltd. that restricts patients from filling prescriptions for specialty drugs at other pharmacies under their insurance plans. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday the government is reviewing the arrangement, which affects around 260 medications […]
An article on the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s priorities for the coming year was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week: 1. CLHIA focusing on improving pharmacare, rare disease drug coverage in 2024 2. Majority of Canadian employers expecting […]
Some pharmacare policy experts are raising concerns about competition and patient access to much-needed medication after Manulife Financial Corp. announced its coverage of certain prescription drugs will only apply at Loblaw Cos. Ltd. pharmacies. The new arrangement, details of which were shared with plan holders earlier this month, affects around 260 medications under the insurance […]
More than half (55 per cent) of Canadians were covered under employer-sponsored drug plans in 2019, while roughly a third were covered under government-sponsored plans (21 per cent), private plans (six per cent) and association-sponsored plans (five per cent), according to a new report by Statistics Canada. Nearly 50 per cent of recent and established immigrants […]
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 […]
After a five-day strike, the union representing 800 employees at Magna International Inc.’s Integram Seating factory in Windsor, Ont. has ratified a collective agreement that includes multiple benefits gains. The benefits gains include: vision coverage, from $250 every two years to $400; a rise in the basic annual dental maximum, from $1,600 to $1,900; an […]
More than half (58 per cent) of global insurers say they anticipate higher health benefits costs over the next three years, with the average global cost trend projected to increase by 9.9 per cent in 2024, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 260 insurers representing 66 countries, found […]
While employees dealing with mental-health challenges like depression need quality and personalized care as quickly as possible, people seeking care through the public health system face months- or years-long wait times, according to Diane McIntosh, a psychiatrist and founder and chief medical officer of RAPIDS Health, speaking during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health Summit. “We […]