Nearly three-quarters (70 per cent) of U.S. employers say their company’s benefits package is critical to attracting and retaining the best workers, according to a new report by LIMRA. It found half (51 per cent) of employers believe their company will be offering more benefits in the future than it does today and another six […]
The World Health Organization defines a rare disease as having a prevalence of 65 or less per 100,000 individuals. It recognizes some 5,500 rare diseases, the majority being of genetic origin and often life-threatening. Medical research has yielded significant drug development for the treatment of rare diseases, increasing life expectancy and improving quality of life. However, […]
Nearly half (47 per cent) of Canadians say they’ve been injured in a way that impedes or has impeded them from being fully functional at work, at home or at play, according to a new survey by Ipsos on behalf of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association. The survey, which polled 1,000 Canadian workers aged 18 and […]
Sales of U.S. workplace supplemental health products totalled nearly US$1.3 billion in new annualized premiums in the first quarter of 2024 ― a three per cent increase year over year, according to a new report by LIMRA. It found major product lines of accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance combined grew four per cent from […]
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 […]
Plan sponsors worried about the expense and sustainability of their drug plan might initially embrace a pharmacare plan, hoping to shift drug costs to a new program funded by provincial and federal governments. However, this may not be the solution it seems. A single-payer universal pharmacare system might limit medication access for individuals with employer-sponsored benefits […]
Everyone loves a deal, but many Canadians either forget or don’t realize they can find discounts through their workplace. “There really are a lot [of perks] that employees just don’t seem to know about,” says Debby Carreau, chief executive officer and founder of Inspired HR, a human resources consultancy with offices across Canada. “Those things […]
Roughly a third (34 per cent) of employers in the U.S. are providing coverage for glucagon-like peptide-1 medications for both diabetes care and weight-loss management in 2024, up from 26 per cent in 2023, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. However, the survey, which polled more than 270 U.S. employers, found more […]
A story discussing the factors leading employees to delay taking time off and instead engage in ‘quiet vacationing’ was the most-read story this week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Employees hesitant to take time off turning to ‘quiet vacationing’: expert 2. 42% of […]
The University Pension Plan’s chief people officer discusses expanding the talent pool, providing access to personalized and culturally relevant mental-health practitioners and finding time to enjoy the theatre. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: As a new organization responsible for delivering pension security to 40,000 members, we need to attract […]