Latest news in Health benefits

Massage use by Canadians on the rise, report finds

Massage use by Canadians on the rise, report finds

In 2016, the majority of adult Canadians (79 per cent) tried at least one form of complementary or alternative medicine, according to a new report from the Fraser…

  • By: Staff
  • April 27, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:07
Obesity treatment scarce in benefits plans, report finds

Obesity treatment scarce in benefits plans, report finds

Canadians face a significant gap in access to coverage for obesity-related treatments, a new report suggests. In a survey of Canadians with private drug insurance, only 8.8 per…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • April 25, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:22
Expanded pharmacy services could save health system up to $25B: study

Expanded pharmacy services could save health system up to $25B: study

If Canadian pharmacists played a larger role in dispensing flu shots, reviewing cardiovascular disease medication and providing help with smoking cessation, the health-care system could save…

Have your say: Are you considering changes to your benefits plan this year?

Have your say: Are you considering changes to your benefits plan this year?

As an aging workforce submit more claims, is your organization considering benefit plan changes to reduce costs? And if it is, is a total plan…

  • By: Staff
  • April 24, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:31
People Corp. acquires Sirius Benefit Plans for $15M

People Corp. acquires Sirius Benefit Plans for $15M

People Corp. has acquired Sirius Benefit Plans Inc. for $15 million. Winnipeg-based Sirius Benefits administers the employee benefit programs for several thousand small- and medium-sized…

  • By: Staff
  • April 19, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 14:39
Shoppers launches new drug plan for employers

Shoppers launches new drug plan for employers

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is announcing the launch of HealthWatch for Business, a new drug plan that includes a formulary focused on savings from traditional, non-specialty medications. The…

  • By: Staff
  • April 13, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:02
WSIB shares experience implementing PTSD legislation

WSIB shares experience implementing PTSD legislation

When it comes to mental-health challenges in the workplace, the focus is shifting to prevention and early intervention rather than diagnosis and treatment, according to the head…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • April 11, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
Starbucks China to offer critical illness insurance plans for employees’ parents

Starbucks China to offer critical illness insurance plans for employees’ parents

Starbucks Coffee Company is introducing critical illness insurance plans for parents of full-time employees in mainland China beginning June 1, 2017. “Supporting critical illnesses for…

  • By: Staff
  • April 11, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:40
Have your say: Should employers give staff exercise trackers to encourage active living?

Have your say: Should employers give staff exercise trackers to encourage active living?

Last Friday, Benefits Canada profiled an employer that had given each employee a Fitbit to promote exercise and wellness as part of its well-being program.…

  • By: Staff
  • April 11, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:00
45% of pain, anxiety patients stop benzodiazepines after a year using marijuana: study

45% of pain, anxiety patients stop benzodiazepines after a year using marijuana: study

A new study has found taking medical marijuana can reduce the amount of benzodiazepines a patient takes. Canabo Medical Inc., which owns 15 referral clinics…

  • By: Staff
  • April 10, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:52
SEB acquires Aon’s mid-market heath benefits administration business

SEB acquires Aon’s mid-market heath benefits administration business

Mississauga, Ont.-based Smart Employee Benefits Inc. has announced it has acquired Aon Hewitt Inc.’s mid-market health and welfare administration business in Canada. The administration business…

  • By: Staff
  • April 6, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:53
100 TTC employees fired or resigned over benefits fraud investigation

100 TTC employees fired or resigned over benefits fraud investigation

The Toronto Transit Commission has confirmed that more than 100 employees have either resigned or been dismissed as part of a benefits fraud investigation. In…

  • By: Staff
  • April 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30
Have your say: Will more plans follow Shoppers’ lead on medical marijuana?

Have your say: Will more plans follow Shoppers’ lead on medical marijuana?

Last week, Benefits Canada reported that Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw Companies Ltd. had introduced medical marijuana to their employee drug plan. Eligible employees will be…

  • By: Staff
  • April 4, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:26
B.C. pharmacare program to streamline approvals for high-cost drugs

B.C. pharmacare program to streamline approvals for high-cost drugs

British Columbia PharmaCare has partnered with Pacific Blue Cross to introduce new claims technology that aims to improve the process for plan members seeking approvals…

Shoppers, Loblaw introduce medical marijuana into benefits plan

Shoppers, Loblaw introduce medical marijuana into benefits plan

Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw Companies Ltd. have introduced a medical marijuana benefit to their drug plan.  Forty-five thousand employees are eligible for the benefit,…

Feds aim to lower drug prices with budget allocations

Feds aim to lower drug prices with budget allocations

In the 2017 budget released last week, the federal government said it’s aiming to lower pharmaceutical prices and improve access to prescription medications through significant investments in…

Benefits innovation must strike a balance between convenience and risk

Benefits innovation must strike a balance between convenience and risk

Innovation in the employee benefits world has historically happened in relatively small increments. Besides some subtle tweaks, plan design has changed very little. Recent enhancements to…

Toronto councillors question benefits loopholes flagged by auditor general

Toronto councillors question benefits loopholes flagged by auditor general

Toronto city councillors are asking questions after the municipality’s auditor general raised red flags about several questionable benefits claims, including the case of an employee…

Morneau Shepell to provide assistance to global expats

Morneau Shepell to provide assistance to global expats

Morneau Shepell is partnering with the Immigration Industry Association to provide employee assistance services to expatriates, migrants and people who are considering migrating. The program is…

  • By: Staff
  • March 24, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30
Alberta action plan on dental fees falls short: CLHIA

Alberta action plan on dental fees falls short: CLHIA

While the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is welcoming the Alberta government’s plan to create a provincial dental fee guide, it’s calling on the province to…

  • By: Staff
  • March 23, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:47
What’s the role of doctors in boosting drug plan sustainability?

What’s the role of doctors in boosting drug plan sustainability?

Some see it as an eternal struggle: the goodhearted doctor championing the best treatments, no matter the cost, while doing battle against the tightfisted insurance…

Drug Plan Trends Report: Alarm about costs sparks ‘monumental shift’

Drug Plan Trends Report: Alarm about costs sparks ‘monumental shift’

With drug plan costs back on the upswing amid unprecedented increases for stop-loss or pooling insurance, benefits advisors and insurers are seeing more plan sponsors…

Sounding Board: Five ways to cut benefit costs while preserving value for staff

Sounding Board: Five ways to cut benefit costs while preserving value for staff

Last week, after years of declining revenue, Postmedia Network Inc. released an internal memo announcing significant cuts to non-unionized employees’ benefits. At first glance, the…

Employers face hard questions until national drug program becomes reality

Employers face hard questions until national drug program becomes reality

I remember when employers were concerned about the potential impact of a little blue pill called Viagra that came with an annual price tag of about…

  • March 15, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 19:30
A primer on some of Canada’s catastrophic drug programs

A primer on some of Canada’s catastrophic drug programs

All Ontarians under the age of 65 who spend a significant amount of their annual household income on prescription drugs are eligible for the Trillium drug…