MHIB Global Inc. has introduced a new online mental-health training program for small- and medium-sized companies. Small businesses “sometimes feel a little overwhelmed,” says Julie…
One local of an Ontario construction union is introducing medical marijuana coverage into its benefits plan, effective June 15. LiUNA Local 625 represents around…
Employer appetite for investing in wellness appears to be waning, delegates heard at the Toronto launch of the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Representatives from…
The Ontario government has responded to the Ministry of Labour’s report on workplace standards with a number of proposed changes, including introducing paid personal emergency…
While the majority of employees continue to be satisfied with their health benefits plan, the extent to which they find it meets their needs has…
Fewer than a third (31 per cent) of employers anticipate making changes to their health benefits plan design over the next two years, according to…
Just 11 per cent of employees are completely satisfied with the coverage levels for all five of the major areas of their health benefits plan,…
At just 32 per cent, plan sponsors continue to underestimate the presence of chronic conditions among their employees, according to the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care…
While employers have made great strides in helping employees manage their stress, they still lag in developing formal psychological health and safety programs that improve…
While more than half (54 per cent) of employees prefer flexible benefits plans, they find making choices to be a challenge, according to the 2017…
Both plan sponsors and plan members are expressing an interest in personalized medicine that offers a targeted approach to prescribing based on patients’ genetic makeup,…
The health benefits industry finally has something sexy to talk about: medical marijuana. The issue is far and away the most popular topic of discussion…
Younger employees are more willing to reduce or eliminate a traditional health benefit to cover the cost of a wellness benefit compared to their older…
Overall prescription medication costs for Canada’s public drug plans rose by 9.9 per cent in 2015-16, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine…
Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board spent 33 per cent less on prescription drugs in 2015 than it did in 2010. The board has claimed the…
What can plan sponsors do about the rising costs of their drug plans? Participants at the Face to Face in Drug Plan Management Forum in…
With big escalations in drug plan costs year after year, many plan sponsors want to get a better grip on spending. But how can drug…
Non-compliance with prescription medications is a huge concern for drug plan sponsors who worry about wasting money and worsened outcomes for their members. A panel…
With increasing use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes and legalization pending for recreational use, many employers are wondering about the implications for their drug plans…
What are some of the common myths and misconceptions in drug plan management? Panellists explored the issues during the recent Face to Face in Drug…
The federal government has proposed amendments to the patented medicines regulations to reduce the costs of prescription drugs in Canada. “This is a consultation process, so what…
A controller of a food producing operation asked me recently, “What do you think is the next trend in group benefits affecting employers?” One issue came…
The cost of health benefits for Canadian employers will increase by 9.4 per cent in 2017, according to Willis Towers Watson’s annual global medical trends…
In Canada, about half of prescription drug costs are privately funded. As drug costs rise between eight and 10 per cent each year, governments are…
Starting on Thursday, a Toronto restaurant will add a three per cent surcharge to each bill in order to cover its new employee benefits program. “We needed to bring…