The group insurance industry saw a rapid rise in claims related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly among women over age 40, said Catherine Biermann (pictured left), manager of digital products, solutions and partnerships at Medavie Blue Cross, moderating a Q&A session with two medical experts at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit. […]
Half (51 per cent) of U.S. employers with 500 or more employees say they’re likely or very likely to make plan design changes in 2026 that would shift more costs to employees, such as raising deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 500 large-sized companies, […]
The cumulative cost of mental illness is estimated to reach $2.5 trillion by 2041, according to a report by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation. The coronavirus pandemic led many to seek out help, which subsequently increased mental-health costs. “We saw people who were obviously quite isolated,” says Dr. Donna Ferguson, a clinical […]
Most Canadian benefits plan sponsors (89 per cent) and members (73 per cent) agree their workplace environment supports mental wellness, according to the 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. On the converse, about a quarter (27 per cent) of plan members disagreed. Despite the mostly positive perspectives, a quarter is still a significant portion of the […]
Nova Scotia says the first phase of its long-promised universal mental health-care program will begin this spring, with therapy costs covered by the province for people with anxiety and mood disorders. Brian Comer, minister of mental health and addictions, made the announcement Wednesday, saying that soon Nova Scotians will be able to self-refer to a […]
The British Columbia Teachers’ Pension Plan is increasing coverage for several optional retirement health benefits, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Vision care coverage will increase by $100 to $400 every two calendar years, while hearing care is set to rise from $1,400 every four calendar years to $2,000, according to a press release, which noted plan members […]
Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of Canadian employees said taking care of their mental health is more of a priority, up from 68 per cent in 2023, according to a new survey by American Express Canada. The survey, which polled more than 700 workers, found a majority (87 per cent) of generation Z employees said […]
For Canadians and people around the world, the current news stream can be particularly bleak. While a brief ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas punctuated the conflict in Gaza last week, the war’s wider impact on people’s mental health and psychological safety will likely last far into the future. Meanwhile, Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine […]
In its 2023 fall economic statement, the federal government said it will consider removing the rule that restricts Canadian pension funds from holding more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of most corporations. The move is part of an effort “to create an environment that encourages and identifies more opportunities for investments in […]
Three-quarters (73 per cent) of benefits plan members agree — 22 per cent strongly — their workplace environment supports mental wellness, according to the 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. It found this percentage increased to 86 per cent among plan members who also reported a workplace wellness culture, compared to just 30 per cent for those without […]