Canada ranks among the top 10 of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries for money spent on health (measured by both GDP per capita…
Every day, according to Statistics Canada, 14.5 million people go to work at a small or medium-size place of employment. It is no wonder these…
Employees who have remained on the payroll after the most recent economic downturn may be feeling the stress of decreased resources and increased burdens. Some…
Aging demographics. The economic boom. The financial meltdown. The economic recovery. Spiralling healthcare costs. Government off-loading. All of the buzzwords of the last five years…
For business owners looking to attract and retain top talent, providing group insurance has become a critical business investment. A survey of Canadians, done by…
Legislative changes over the past year have affected the landscape in which Canadian benefits plan sponsors operate. A presentation to delegates at the CPBI Western…
How does a company judge its own success? If Razor Suleman had his way, the first question any employer would ask is, How happy are…
We all know the workforce is changing. Today it’s the most culturally and generationally diverse than any other time in history. It’s also the oldest,…
A benefits program is an investment and as with all investments there are inherent risks. Risk that the expected return will not materialize. Risk that what…
Adding these benefits won’t cost you anything, but will carry value with employees. Payroll budgets may be more robust than they were a year ago,…
A year ago, the term preferred provider network (PPN) wasn’t liked in the pharmacy circle or within group benefits plans. Pharmacies detested the idea of…
While the economy has wrought havoc on many plan members’ retirement savings, it seems it has been a positive for benefits plans. Three-quarters of respondents…
Pfizer Inc. has agreed to buy King Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $3.6 billion, expanding its presence in the market for pain drugs. On October 12, the…
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that environment and genetics both carry a 20% stake in a person’s overall health. These…
When you think about employee communications, what comes to mind? Websites, presentations, pamphlets, emails? If so, you’re not alone. For most organizations—and most plan sponsors—communication…
As corporate merger and acquisition activity continues to increase, companies need to adjust how they leverage their compensation and benefits programs. The restructuring of these…
U.S. employers should expect 2011 healthcare cost increases to be at their highest levels in the past five years, according to an analysis by Hewitt…
Great-West Life has launched a new credit card-based system, making it easier for plan members to pay for treatments covered under their respective plans. The…
Generic drugs aren’t the only aspect of the healthcare system that is in need of reform. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently…
Americans remain generally unsatisfied with their healthcare system, but they are happy with the coverage they receive from their employer-sponsored plans, according to the 2010…
Do we have a great healthcare system in this country? Yes, we do, said Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, chair of the Ivey Centre for Health…
Cancer insurance has taken a backseat to critical-illness coverage, with sales for the latter soaring 88% to $225 million between 2008 and 2009, according to…
Employers looking to reduce their risk when it comes to benefits plans should consider voluntary options, said Robyn Gray, a consultant for Strata Benefits Consulting…
An advocacy group is pushing for a national catastrophic drug plan that may have ramifications for private insurance plans. The Campaign to Control Cancer—a Canadian…
The new healthcare reform law in the U.S. is creating a dilemma for many employers—who face the choice of changing to comply, allowing their plans…