Diagnoses of mental and nervous disorders are rising along with the work leaves associated with them. And as the World Health Organization has noted, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the recently released disability claims management benchmarks survey from RGA Life Reinsurance Co. of Canada, Canadian carriers saw […]
Plan sponsors looking to integrate pharmacogenetic testing into their benefits plan will soon have lots of information to consider as Canada’s biggest insurance companies roll out pilot projects and research begins to shed light on the return on investment. “The market is expanding. Insurers are piloting projects. You will hear a lot about pharmacogenetics over the next 12 months,” said […]
Long-term disability rates are expected to increase by 4.7 per cent in 2018 compared to the previous year, driven by a strengthening Canadian economy, according to new research by RBC Insurance. The annual research, which demonstrates how long-term disability claims are linked to gross domestic product growth rates, shows a significant change from last year’s research, which predicted an uptick in […]
When an employee returns to work after a disability, it can be a stressful and overwhelming time for the employer, the employee and the team as a whole, as they navigate the challenges of their new reality. Employers may be anxious to have the employee back at work making up for lost time or productivity, or […]
Employers should review their drug plans annually to make sure they’re getting value for money, according to a speaker at the recent Face to Face Drug Plan Management forum. “It’s good drug plan management hygiene,” said Kim MacFarlane, assistant vice-president of group benefit product at Manulife Financial Corp. Even if the unwieldy nature of drug […]
To get people back to work after being off with a mental illness, the whole system — including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists and insurers — need to engage in a collaborative effort to ensure individuals get the correct diagnosis and treatment with a focus on returning to the workplace. That’s the message Carmen Bellows, a psychologist […]
Many Canadian workers who experience a mental illness face barriers and obstacles when it comes to diagnosis, treatment and returning to work. But new virtual programs show there are steps employers can take to help employees get well and back to work. Julie Gaudry, senior director of group of business markets at RBC Insurance Services […]
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is expanding its work-related mental-stress policy following decisions at the appeals tribunal that found the limits currently placed on entitlement criteria are unconstitutional. Over the last few years, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal has issued several decisions that determined the provisions in the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act limiting entitlement only […]
Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada is partnering with Medical Confidence Inc. to help Canadian employees navigate the health-care system when they go on disability leave. Beginning in 2018, Medical Confidence’s disability management service will be rolled out to Sun Life’s employer clients. The service provides one-on-one support through a health-care professional, arranges accelerated access to […]
A migraine is more than just a headache. The third most common disorder in the world, migraine is a chronic disease of the brain that’s prevalent, frequent and disabling, said Elizabeth Leroux, a clinical associate professor at the University of Calgary’s department of clinical neurosciences, during a session at the Calgary Drug Trends Summit on […]