We’ve seen a massive shift in our collective attitudes towards equal rights in the workplace, but ageism is one area where we are seriously falling behind, and it can have a detrimental impact on our society. Pushing retirement and removing benefits are just twin elements tied into these archaic rules that haven’t been updated to… Continue reading Terminating Benefits At 65 Is A Slippery Slope
Recent reports surfaced about how taxing employer-provided health and dental benefits would increase the federal net balance by $3.8 billion. While this might add significant figures to the government’s annual spend, it will greatly shrink the disposable income of middle-income earners across the country every year. It’s a lose-lose situation and the long-term implications for… Continue reading Why Taxable Employee Benefits Is A Lose-Lose Situation
The digital revolution has made impressive strides in redefining modern health care, and we’re once again seeing technology shake up this industry by making medical care more efficient for both patients and healthcare providers. This virtual healthcare, or “Doctor in a Pocket” model is providing a powerful new way to facilitate consultations between Canadian doctors… Continue reading Is Telemedicine The Next Big Thing In Canadian Health Care?
It’s spring, so in the employee benefits industry, that means that it’s time for one of the leading benefits publications, Benefits Canada, to publish their list of the top employee benefits providers for 2017. Some years, you’ll see large increases – mainly due to acquisitions (e.g. when Manulife purchased Standard Life). Not this year –… Continue reading Canada’s Top Employee Benefits Providers For 2017
As Canada is set to embark on being the first major industrialized nation to legalize cannabis, being an early leader in this field comes with sweeping changes on how it will be viewed from an insurance standpoint. With the political narrative maturing and the number of registered medical cannabis patients continuing to grow, it’s marking… Continue reading Medical Cannabis In Group Benefits: A Question Of ‘When’ – Not ‘If’
Private insurance stakeholders have consistently rated the TELUS Health Annual Conference as the industry-leading source for information on trends across the health benefits ecosystem. The 2018 TELUS Health program provided us with leading intelligence on Canadian private drug and benefit plan data and trends. I was fortunate to have been among the top benefit consultants… Continue reading Trends And Takeaways From The 2018 TELUS Health Conference
March is a month that is rich with big-ticket activities. The annual NCAA March Madness basketball tournament kicks off, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and the start of spring (for us in the Northern Hemisphere.) But there’s another theme that flies under the radar that doesn’t get enough attention as it should – March is Fraud… Continue reading How to Protect Your Startup From Group Benefits Fraud
How many physical documents have you signed in the past three months? Chance are, it’s not very many. Maybe a form at the doctor’s office or a driver’s license renewal. But cast your mind back: 10 or even 20 years ago if you can. You signed your name a lot more back then, didn’t you?… Continue reading Wet Signatures: Are Insurance Providers Stuck In The Past?
Earlier this week I wrote about how governments and large businesses are helping erase the stigma around mental health in the workplace. In recent years, I’ve seen a growing number of my clients bring more attention to supporting the mental health and wellness of their employees. I’d like to see this trend continue to grow… Continue reading How Startups Can Support Employee Mental Health
Mental health is defined by the World Health Organization as a “state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” Sounds pretty positive to me. But… Continue reading Making Moves To Support Mental Health In 2018
