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 […]
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 […]
An article on amendments to Quebec employment legislation was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Quebec employment legislation introducing unpaid leave for workers impacted by provincial health, disaster orders 2. HOOPP providing menopause-inclusive workplace through benefits, […]
When updating their benefits program, some employers may be hesitant to cut offerings due to a lack of clarity around which benefits are most valued by employees, says Grant Boissonneault, assistant vice-president and relationship lead at Aon. “While benefits programs are intended to support employee well-being and engagement, organizations often rely on assumptions or outdated […]
U.S. employers are anticipating a median health benefits cost trend of nine per cent in 2026, which could be offset to 7.6 per cent with changes to plan design, according to a new survey by Business Group on Health. The survey, which polled more than 120 employers representing 11.6 million plan members, found, on a […]
With “disruptive evolution” a strong value for Arc’teryx Equipment, the organization developed its new benefits plan to reflect this mentality, according to Mikkaela Fernandez, manager of total rewards, benefits, wellness, leaves and retirement, during a fireside chat at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Vancouver Benefits Summit. The global retailer, which is based in Vancouver and has 3,000 […]
Canadians rely on programs through their workplaces to help ease the financial burden of fertility challenges, according to Michelle Chidley, co-founder and chair at Fertility Alberta Advocacy and Outreach Association and principal at Aisling Communications Inc. In a session supported by EMD Serono Inc. during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Vancouver Benefits Summit, she said a sixth […]
In the next three years, more than half (57 per cent) of global employers plan to reallocate or rebalance their benefits spend, adding or enhancing some benefits (23 per cent) while reducing or removing others (two per cent), according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 5,500 global employers, found […]
As the role of pharmacists in the Canadian health-care landscape continues to evolve, there are opportunities for plan sponsors to integrate these professionals into their health benefits offerings, says Martin Belanger, senior vice-president of payer and provider solutions at Telus Health. While a fifth (22 per cent) of Canadians don’t have access to a family […]