Canadian Baptist Ministries is supporting employee health and managing costs through a flexible benefits plan model that will be introduced at the end of 2025. The new model has been in the works for several years, following feedback from plan members on the current benefits offering, says Rob Jackett, senior director of finance and administration. […]
Global health insurance costs are expected to rise by an average of 10.3 per cent in 2026, according to a new report by WTW. It found Asia-Pacific is anticipating the steepest jump at 14 per cent, while Latin America is expecting a an increase of 11.9 per cent. The Middle East and Africa will see […]
The organization’s senior manager of employee benefits talks voluntary benefits, balancing costs with flexibility and travelling around the world. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: We’re currently focused on building a more streamlined and centralized benefits experience across 123Dentist. A key initiative is moving to a more integrated platform […]
Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of benefits managers are reporting more pressure due to higher health-care costs now than at any point in the past 10 years, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 400 employers, found a third (34 per cent) believe it will be necessary to make […]
Employer-sponsored health benefits costs are set to increase by 9.8 per cent in 2026, according to a new report by Aon. The report pointed to a return to single-digit growth for the first time since 2023, but also underscores the reality that price inflation, advanced medical technologies, increased benefits utilization and rising prescription drug costs […]
In a year marked by an ongoing trade war and threats of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump and against a backdrop of rising costs, Canadian employers are reconsidering their total rewards and talent management strategies. “A lot more attention is being paid to total rewards, such as how we’re paying people,” says compensation and […]
Nearly all (86 per cent) U.S. employers are reporting an increase in cancer care costs through their benefits plan, with a median increase of 11 per cent since 2024, according to a new report by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. It found the most popular steerage techniques that organizations are using to mitigate […]
Balancing benefits plan sustainability against meeting the evolving needs of employees continues to keep Canadian plan sponsors up at night. “I think since COVID we’ve seen such a shift in expectations [around] work-life balance, a focus on [diversity, equity and inclusion] and mental health,” said Laura Carter (pictured left), associate director of benefits at the […]
Amazon.com says it’s investing more than a US$1 billion to raise wages and lower the cost of health-care plans for its U.S. fulfillment and transportation workers. The Seattle-based company said the average pay is increasing to more than $23 per hour. Some of its most tenured employees will see an increase between $1.10 and $1.90 […]
Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of plan members are open to receiving personalized communications about their health from their benefits plan provider, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. This is up from 66 per cent in 2018, when the question was first asked. The question clarified that the respondent’s employer wouldn’t be aware […]