Employers are facing growing pressure on their benefits plans as financial stress shapes how employees access care, use coverage and experience health outcomes across life stages, according to a new report by Beneva Inc. It found mental illness alone is estimated to cost the Canadian economy $51 billion annually, while mental-health leaves cost employers twice […]
Canadian employers are shouldering more than $110 billion a year in costs related to employee mental health, driven by lost productivity, disability leave and workplace accommodations, according to a new report from the Canadian Standards Association. It found those costs represent the largest share of an estimated $180 billion annual economic burden tied to mental-health […]
While dedicated coverage for women’s midlife health needs improve employee well-being and productivity, it also addresses the costs of unmanaged menopause symptoms that are showing up in other parts of the benefits plan. A women’s health partnership between Medavie Blue Cross and sanoLiving has already resulted in notable improvements for participants’ work, mood and quality […]
The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association wants to see the removal of regulatory barriers that are holding back Canadian insurance business in 2026, says its president and chief executive officer Stephen Frank. Following a turbulent year in Canada-U.S. trade and political relations, Frank says it’s more important to ensure there’s a business environment that […]
Cancer rates among Canadian women age 50 and younger are twice as high as those of men in the same age group, according to a new report by Sun Life Financial Inc. The report analyzed health claims data from more than three million plan members and 20,000 employers. It found cancer continued to drive a […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan was a winner at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Workplace Benefits Awards for its absence management program, which excels because the organization manages its benefits plan, wellness program and disability support in the same portfolio. According to one judge, the HOOPP’s prevention and return-to-work practices are leading edge because of the […]
Canadian employees who are on long-term disability leave are two-times more likely to claim for a chronic disease medication related to a secondary condition and three-times more likely to claim for medication treating two or more symptoms than those who aren’t on LTD, according to a new report by Sun Life Financial Inc. The report […]
Chronic disease rates are rising and cases are becoming more complex, with a higher share of plan members experiencing multiple co-morbidities. This growing trend necessitates an approach to chronic disease management that promotes self-management and healthy lifestyle choices, as well as helps plan members better navigate the health-care landscape, said Jeffery Chan, assistant vice-president of […]
While the conversation around mental-health benefits is typically focused on coverage levels, it’s important for employers to unpack the entire mental-health bucket and consider the impacts of other factors like psychological safety and diversity, equity and inclusion. Paula Allen, global leader and vice-president of research and client insights at Telus Health, says there’s a great […]
Even though humans spend a third of their lives asleep, it’s often taken for granted, but people are waking up to how sleep — or lack of sleep — is affecting their health and well-being. “All of medicine has been focused on how we do when we’re awake, but now we’re trying to pick up […]