Latest news in Health benefits

Panel orders Soliris price cut but rejects CLHIA bid to reimburse private payers

Panel orders Soliris price cut but rejects CLHIA bid to reimburse private payers

While a Patented Medicine Prices Review Board hearing panel has ordered Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. to lower the price of the drug Soliris, it has rejected…

Universal pharmacare program could save $4.2B: report

Universal pharmacare program could save $4.2B: report

A universal pharmacare program could represent savings of $4.2 billion, according to a new report published by the parliamentary budget officer. The report, which followed…

Stelco looks to inject funds into pension, retiree benefits through IPO

Stelco looks to inject funds into pension, retiree benefits through IPO

Just months after emerging from bankruptcy protection, Stelco Inc. has filed a preliminary prospectus for an initial public offering as part of a plan to…

  • By: Staff
  • September 28, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:40
Retirement plans boost growth in life, health insurance industry

Retirement plans boost growth in life, health insurance industry

Retirement savings products once again led the way in the growth of the life and health insurance industry, according to the Canadian Life and Health…

  • By: Staff
  • September 27, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:15
Arbitrator strikes down company’s imposition of mandatory generics

Arbitrator strikes down company’s imposition of mandatory generics

An Ontario arbitrator has struck down an employer’s imposition of mandatory generic substitution in its benefits plan. Last week, arbitrator Russell Goodfellow ruled on a…

  • By: Staff
  • September 26, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:40
Healthy lifestyle changes could save economy $7B over five years, suggests prof

Healthy lifestyle changes could save economy $7B over five years, suggests prof

BestLifeRewarded Innovations Inc. has launched a research project aimed at demonstrating how small changes in behaviour could make a significant difference in both employee health…

  • By: Alice Chen
  • September 25, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:15
TTC benefits case: Store owner sentenced to two years, Manulife facing lawsuit

TTC benefits case: Store owner sentenced to two years, Manulife facing lawsuit

The ongoing benefits fraud case at the Toronto Transit Commission continues to unfold as the owner of an orthotics store had pleaded guilty in the…

  • By: Staff
  • September 22, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:49
Employers urged to leverage rising use of health apps for wellness programs

Employers urged to leverage rising use of health apps for wellness programs

Two-thirds of Canadians are tracking their health and well-being using either a mobile app or smart device, according to new research by Canada Health Infoway. The…

Manulife to allow plan members to submit all benefits claims online, through mobile app

Manulife to allow plan members to submit all benefits claims online, through mobile app

Members of group benefits plans provided by Manulife Financial Corp. will now be able to submit any type of claim online and through the insurer’s…

  • By: Staff
  • September 21, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:50
Insurers welcome new Quebec rules mandating detailed pharmacy invoices

Insurers welcome new Quebec rules mandating detailed pharmacy invoices

Quebecers now have more details about the costs of their drugs when they fill a prescription at a pharmacy. As of Friday, new provincial rules require invoices…

Sounding Board: How to support millennials’ growing use of mental-health services

Sounding Board: How to support millennials’ growing use of mental-health services

In the past, quotes for psychology services in an employee benefits plan were nominal, especially compared to other paramedical benefits, such as massage therapy. However,…

André Langlois named senior executive VP of life, health insurance at Desjardins

André Langlois named senior executive VP of life, health insurance at Desjardins

Desjardins Insurance has named André Langlois its senior executive vice-president of life and health insurance. In the role, Langlois will lead operations across the company’s…

  • By: Staff
  • September 13, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:44
Firefighter sentenced to six months in jail for benefits fraud

Firefighter sentenced to six months in jail for benefits fraud

An Ontario judge has sentenced a Toronto firefighter to six months in jail for benefits fraud. Bradley Evaschuk, 48, joined the Toronto fire service in…

  • By: Staff
  • September 8, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:54
Editorial: Navigating the marijuana minefield

Editorial: Navigating the marijuana minefield

The headlines this summer emphasized the negative: Almost half of employers aren’t ready for the legalization of recreational marijuana when it takes effect next year.…

  • By: Glenn Kauth
  • September 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
Workplace Benefits Awards finalists announced

Workplace Benefits Awards finalists announced

Benefits Canada is pleased to announce the list of finalists for the 2017 Workplace Benefits Awards. The finalists will find out who won at a luncheon on…

  • By: Staff
  • September 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:57
The impact of Ontario’s public drug program changes on private plans

The impact of Ontario’s public drug program changes on private plans

It has been a busy period for changes to public drug programs in Ontario, as the provincial government has been working on policies with the…

  • By: Karen Welds
  • September 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:52
Healthy Outcomes: Taking action to achieve better health outcomes

Healthy Outcomes: Taking action to achieve better health outcomes

At Benefits Canada’s 2017 Healthy Outcomes conference in June, insurers, providers and plan sponsors discussed how to promote healthy behaviours and reduce chronic disease while…

Healthy Outcomes: Prediabetes among biggest concerns for employee health

Healthy Outcomes: Prediabetes among biggest concerns for employee health

With four out of five Canadians having at least one modifiable risk for a chronic disease, organizations need to place the same importance and resources…

Healthy Outcomes: Low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy touted as alternative to address depression

Healthy Outcomes: Low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy touted as alternative to address depression

Should antidepressants be the first course of treatment for mild to moderate depression? Not necessarily, said Peter Gove, innovation leader for health management at Green…

Healthy Outcomes: Setting the standard for mental health

Healthy Outcomes: Setting the standard for mental health

With mental-health issues reaching crisis levels in Canadian workplaces, employers have options to address the situation as a driver of claims and absences, participants at…

Healthy Outcomes: Helping employers navigate next deluge of rising drug costs

Healthy Outcomes: Helping employers navigate next deluge of rising drug costs

Amidst all of the innovation that’s occurring in the drug industry, pharmacists have a role to play in helping employers navigate the changes, a speaker…

Healthy Outcomes: A look at chronic disease among younger Canadians

Healthy Outcomes: A look at chronic disease among younger Canadians

While Canada is facing the health implications of an aging population, younger people are a significant concern as well. “For the first time, three out…

Healthy Outcomes: Partnerships key to achieving a healthier workforce

Healthy Outcomes: Partnerships key to achieving a healthier workforce

During the Healthy Outcomes conference in June, a panel of health and wellness leaders discussed some of the small steps their organizations are taking to…

Healthy Outcomes: Linking drug plans to employee health

Healthy Outcomes: Linking drug plans to employee health

During the Healthy Outcomes conference in June, participants discussed ways to better understand the impact of drug plan offerings on employee health. Four groups of…

Healthy Outcomes conference coverage