Health Minister Mark Holland tabled a long-awaited bill Thursday meant to pave the way for national pharmacare and preserve a deal that secures the New Democratic Party’s support for the government in the House of Commons. The bill includes a program to cover birth control as well as diabetes drugs and supplies for anyone with […]
Hub International Ltd. is acquiring Oakville, Ont.-based Mitchell Sandham Inc., an independently owned insurance brokerage company that provides commercial and personal insurance and employee benefits services. The merger will provide Mitchell Sandham’s clients with enhanced resources and expertise, including a broader geographical reach across Canada and the U.S., said Mitchell Sandham’s chief executive officer, Aaron […]
Several stakeholders from the benefits sector are partnering to form the Smart Health Benefits Coalition, an advocacy group that aims to strengthen the health-care system and address longstanding gaps in care. The federal government will release the framework for its pharmacare program on March 1 and the coalition — comprised of representatives from Gallagher, Benefits Alliance, GroupHEALTH, Hub International Ltd., […]
Thousands of ride-hailing and delivery workers in the U.S. and the U.K. went on strike on Valentine’s Day, calling for higher pay and other changes to their working conditions. In the U.S., Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. drivers planned day-long strikes and held mid-day demonstrations at airports in several cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, […]
Two-fifths (42 per cent) of Canadian employees say they’ve already started looking, or plan to look, for a new job in the first half of 2024, up slightly from 41 per cent in July 2023 but down from 50 per cent in December 2022, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada. The survey, which polled more […]
While more than a third (38 per cent) of U.S. employers are offering employees a paid-time-off bank, up slightly from in 2017 (34 per cent), nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) say most workers don’t use it due to a heavy workload, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The […]
An article on the Ontario Court of Appeal’s affirmation of a $1.5 million punitive damages award was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pensions and investment articles of the past week: 1. Court of Appeal upholds $1.5 million punitive damages award in LTD claims case 2. N.B. transferring 5 public […]
The federal minister in charge of promoting competition says he’s concerned about a deal between Manulife Financial Corp. and Loblaw Cos. Ltd. that restricts patients from filling prescriptions for specialty drugs at other pharmacies under their insurance plans. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday the government is reviewing the arrangement, which affects around 260 medications […]
An article on the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s priorities for the coming year 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 week: 1. CLHIA focusing on improving pharmacare, rare disease drug coverage in 2024 2. Majority of Canadian employers expecting […]
Some pharmacare policy experts are raising concerns about competition and patient access to much-needed medication after Manulife Financial Corp. announced its coverage of certain prescription drugs will only apply at Loblaw Cos. Ltd. pharmacies. The new arrangement, details of which were shared with plan holders earlier this month, affects around 260 medications under the insurance […]