Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of employers have increased their communications emphasis on mental-health and behavioural health offerings in the past two years, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. In addition, the survey found 90 per cent of employers said they offer employee assistance programs, 86 per cent […]
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, fewer Canadian benefits plan members are making drug claims, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report. The report, based on the drug claims activity of more than 10 million plan members in 2021, found just 56 per cent made a claim in 2021, reflecting a decreased frequency of in-person […]
While medications used for treating inflammatory disease accounted for just 0.7 per cent of claims across Telus Health’s Canadian block of business in 2021, they represent the largest percentage of eligible drug costs at 12.6 per cent, due to the prevalence of high-cost treatments in this drug class. By comparison, diabetes medications accounted for 12 […]
Living with Type 1 diabetes is like having a full-time job on top of managing a day job and life commitments — one that involves making constant risk assessments and difficult decisions throughout the day. “‘How many carbs did I eat? How much insulin do I need for that? Am I going to exercise later […]
While the overall private drug plan spend per member increased by 4.3 per cent in 2021, fewer plan members submitted claims and the per-claimant cost grew, according to Express Scripts Canada’s latest prescription drug trends report. Specifically, the percentage of plan members that made a claim decreased by 0.3 per cent last year while spend […]
In Canada, the year-over-year cost increase for claims under a medical plan on a per-person basis is projected to reach 8.6 per cent this year, up from eight per cent in 2021, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The report, which analyzed responses from 210 insurers across 59 countries, found the year-over-year cost […]
“Diabetes is a disease that you do not see from the outside,” said Kayla O’Connell, who lives with type 1 diabetes and is a sales support associate at Medtronic, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Chronic Disease at Work event in February. About 10 per cent of Canadians with diabetes have type 1, while […]
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by the body’s resistance to the effect of insulin and, over time, the gradual loss of the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin, according to Dr. Donna Mojdami, a clinical research physician in diabetes at Eli Lilly Canada, speaking during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Chronic […]
While 86 per cent of U.S. employers said mental health, stress and burnout are top priorities, only 25 per cent have already articulated and adopted a well-being strategy, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled 322 employers, found while 42 per cent redesigned their employee assistance program in 2021, 39 per […]
The World Health Organization has designated diabetes as the only non-viral epidemic and diabetes drugs continue to be ranked as the second highest cost category for private drug plans, said Lisa Maks, clinical nurse specialist at Juravinski Hospital and St. Peter’s Hospital sites, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit. Eight per cent […]