More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of large U.S. employers are reporting an increase in mental-health needs among their workforces, according to a new survey by Business Group on Health. The survey, which polled around 150 large employers employing 19 million people, found this is a 33 per cent increase compared to last year, when […]
A portable health benefits plan is a feasible, affordable and sustainable way to improve access to essential supplemental health and dental benefits for millions of Ontarians, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. It found the portable benefits plan would likely cost between $3.2 billion and $4.5 billion — excluding administration costs, […]
In Canada, the year-over-year cost increase for claims under a medical plan on a per-person basis is projected to reach seven per cent in 2023, according to a new report by Mercer. The report, which analyzed responses from more than 200 insurers across 56 countries, found the global year-over-year cost is expected to increase to […]
Average benefits costs for U.S. employers will increase 6.5 per cent — or more than $13,800 per employee — in 2023, according to a new report by Aon. This projection is more than double the three per cent increase to health-care budgets from 2021 to 2022, but below the 9.1 inflation figure reported through the consumer price […]
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 […]
To say the coronavirus pandemic has had an unimaginable impact on Canadian life is an immense understatement — it has literally reshaped the way we work, interact socially and access health care. To that end, the pandemic has — and continues to — carve a path for a range of health-care innovations now supported by […]
Employer-sponsored health benefits cost trends are expected to increase 8.1 per cent on average globally in 2022, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey, which polled medical insurers across various geographic regions, found cost trends are expected to be as high as 14.2 per cent in Latin America, followed by 10.6 […]
The coronavirus pandemic has increased health-care costs in the U.S., while shifting how and where employees access care, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. It projected that the costs of medical treatment in the U.S. will increase by 6.5 per cent in 2022, slightly lower than this year (seven per cent). “The pandemic’s long […]
Sun Life Financial Inc. has completed its acquisition of PinnacleCare International Inc., a U.S. health-care navigation and medical intelligence provider. Based in Maryland, PinnacleCare has more than 170 employees and 20 years of experience helping people navigate their care options when facing a serious medical condition. It will become part of Sun Life’s U.S. stop-loss and […]
Half of Canadians said they’ve increased their use of virtual health care since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by consulting firm Calian Group Ltd. It also found, while 49 per cent of respondents said they intend to continue using virtual care after the pandemic is over and safety precautions […]