Latest news in Health benefits

Benefits industry mogul passes

Ed Buffet, president and CEO of Buffett and Company Worksite Wellness, passed away suddenly on Saturday, March 5, 2011. A announcement from the company says:…

By: Staff
March 8, 2011 September 13, 2019
13:48

Case study: Health contest encourages big losses

Things to do at work today: meet with boss; complete weekly project; and apply to be a contestant in Extreme Health Makeover contest. If you…

By: Karen Principato
March 7, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:17

PA programs: missing the target

Between 1998 and 2008, the most popular topic of conversation in drug plan management was the brave new world of expensive specialty (i.e. biological) drugs.…

March 3, 2011 September 13, 2019
12:59

How to help kick employee addiction

Short-term and long-term disability claims show that incidences of depression are increasing in the workplace. But, did you know that approximately 10% of employees will…

By: April Scott-Clarke
February 26, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:54

Is your company at risk for a corporate heart attack?

Fifty years ago, one in two Canadians died from heart disease or stroke. “Twenty years from now, there’s no reason it can’t be one in…

By: Brooke Smith
February 25, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:59

Mental health at work: revisited

Depression and anxiety tend to affect people during their prime working years. These conditions impact cognitive, interpersonal and motivational skills—all critical elements to being productive…

By: April Scott-Clarke
February 24, 2011 September 13, 2019
15:11

Addressing obesity in the workplace

In 1985, less than 10% of the Canadian population was obese, having a body mass index (BMI) over 30. Today, the obesity rate has soared…

By: April Scott-Clarke
February 23, 2011 September 13, 2019
10:11

What’s depression costing you?

A recent Canadian study finds $33 billion per year is lost in the workplace from employees suffering from emotional disorders. Dr. Robert Wilson, presenter at…

By: April Scott-Clarke
February 22, 2011 September 13, 2019
10:58

The truth about drug reform

Despite the frenzy the legislation for lower generic drugs caused, leading plan sponsors to think it would equate to lower costs for benefits plans, those…

By: April Scott-Clarke
February 22, 2011 September 13, 2019
00:43

Managing high-cost claims: solutions for the not-so-distant future

Recent legislative changes affecting the pricing of generic drugs have refocused employer attention on better management of drug plan costs. With the growing number of…

By: Tim Clarke
February 18, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:57

Employers refuse to shift health costs: study

Employers in Europe and the U.S. remain fair to their employees and avoid shifting costs—despite a sharp increase in healthcare costs and health-related benefits, according…

By: Staff
February 17, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:49

How to support employees with chronic pain

With an aging workforce and related costs (i.e., medical costs and lost productivity) estimated to be greater than $6 billion annually to the economy, it’s…

By: Chris MacDonald
February 11, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:30

Rewriting the prescription: creative ways to control drug costs

Drug plan management is certainly in the midst of changing times, from ever-increasing costs to drug reforms and innovations. On Dec. 1, 2010, more than…

By: Elizabeth Garel
February 9, 2011 September 13, 2019
11:16

Is DC the future of health benefits

Reducing healthcare costs is the age-old question that plan sponsors have been seeking the answer to. Are defined contribution (DC) benefits the answer? At the…

By: April Scott-Clarke
February 4, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:26

Airline benefits scam under investigation

False medical claims can increase your benefits plan costs—they can also get people arrested. Yesterday, Peel Regional Police arrested six Air Canada employees at Pearson…

By: Staff
February 4, 2011 September 13, 2019
10:11

Benefits cost management: Myth or reality?

For as long as I can remember, employee benefits plan sponsors have been talking about benefits cost management. In the face of double-digit cost increases…

By: Brian Lindenberg
February 2, 2011 September 13, 2019
15:31

Take a stand on drug plan management

The healthcare landscape has drastically evolved since employers started implementing drug plans, but employers—and their consultants—have been slow to adapt to those changes, and their…

By: April Scott-Clarke
January 28, 2011 September 13, 2019
15:17

The impact of e-health solutions

Employee health benefits plans in Canada have been adversely impacted to date by a slow uptake of e-health technology across the healthcare industry and inconsistencies…

January 24, 2011 September 13, 2019
11:43

The impact of e-health solutions

Employee health benefits plans in Canada have been adversely impacted to date by a slow uptake of e-health technology across the healthcare industry and inconsistencies…

January 24, 2011 September 13, 2019
11:43

Canadians don’t make health a priority

According to the Sun Life Canadian Health Index, almost 45% of Canadians don’t put their health at the top of their priority list—for some, it’s…

By: Staff
January 18, 2011 September 13, 2019
15:03

Blue Monday blues? Not likely

Dubbed “Blue Monday,” January 17 (or the third Monday of January) is supposed to the most depressing day of the year. The day originated in…

By: April Scott-Clarke
January 17, 2011 September 13, 2019
14:59

Acting on innovation in group benefits

Technological change is all around us, and many industries—such as media, banking and retail—have used it to significant advantage. The group benefits industry, however, has…

By: Stuart Monteith
January 11, 2011 September 13, 2019
11:20