To kick off our Exclusive Benefits for Members program, which offers access to exclusive deals, we interviewed Nathalie Laporte, Senior Vice President, Consulting, Underwriting and Actuarial Services. Nathalie, who also oversees product development, shares her insights to help explain this new program.
First, can you explain what the Exclusive Benefits for Members program is all about?
N.L.: The program shares exclusive offers with members related to overall health, which includes physical, mental, and financial health. Only members of an AGA group insurance plan will be able to access these offers via their portal. We have negotiated a variety of services at discounted prices to meet the specific needs of each individual, whatever challenges they may be facing in life (chronic illness, aging parents, sick children, perinatal period, etc.).
Why is the program focusing on overall health?
N.L.: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is more than merely the absence of disease. It is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
At AGA, we believe that health is a continuum along which an individual’s health changes with life events and needs. Our consulting approach encourages employers to take into account that their employees are at different stages of the health continuum when designing their benefits programs.
In its 2023 Healthcare Survey, Benefits Canada magazine reported that 11% of plan members described their overall health as poor. This percentage is higher among plan members who described their mental health as poor (45%) and who felt their health benefits plan was not meeting their needs (32%).¹ To establish yourself as an employer of choice, it is crucial to consider every stage of this continuum in your offering.
We built our Exclusive Benefits for Members program with this in mind, resulting in a diversified offering to meet different physical, mental, and financial health needs.
How will this offering remain diversified and adapted to individual needs?
N.L.: Physical, mental, and financial health change and evolve with age and are influenced by each employee’s unique circumstances. It is also important that we build a more inclusive plan that prioritizes gender equality, eliminates age bias, and helps expanding families.
Take, for instance, the well-known sandwich generation, typically consisting of individuals aged 45 to 64 who are caring for both dependent children and aging parents who are losing their independence. A Globe and Mail article on a study by Carleton University professor Linda Duxbury and Christopher Higgins of the University of Western Ontario2 reports that men and women in the sandwich generation miss more days of work per year than their colleagues. Male caregivers miss an average of 13.4 days, while female caregivers miss an average of 19.4 days. Exclusive Benefits for Members supports this demographic cohort with solutions such as:
- KixCare, Canada’s only virtual pediatric health care app
- Prenato, for a personalized approach to perinatal services
- Visavie and Amika soins à domicile, for free assistance in finding retirement homes for seniors and free hours of home care services
Moreover, when we talk about diversity, it is crucial to consider the proportion of individuals dealing with health conditions such as obesity—now considered a chronic illness—diabetes, hypertension, and others. This segment of the population faces significant daily challenges in the workplace, along with prejudice and stigmatization.
What is the correlation between productivity at work and chronic illness?
N.L.: There is a significant correlation between productivity at work and chronic illness. In the 2021 Benefits Canada Survey, 47% of plan members reported that they had had to miss work or found it harder to do their job because of a chronic condition/pain.3 Then in 2023,1 54% of plan members reported that they had been diagnosed by their doctor with at least one chronic condition. Benefits Canada also reported in 2023 that obesity (8%), diabetes (10%), high cholesterol (12%) and hypertension (10%) accounted for nearly one third of the most common chronic conditions among plan members.1
With out Exclusive Benefits for Members program, we are supporting these members with services from Ellerca, including a free app, digital therapy designed to help manage chronic conditions, and virtual nutrition counselling services.
While chronic illnesses are often associated with physical health problems, it is important to recognize that mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, have been the most commonly diagnosed chronic conditions since 20191 (18% in 2023).4
What impacts can an employee’s poor mental health have on the employer?
N.L.: Sun Life notes that mental health claims are both more complex to manage and have longer durations than other claim types. Between 2014 and 2020, they accounted for over 24% of new short-term disability claims and 32% of new long-term disability claims, representing roughly 45% of claim costs.
Not only does a colleague’s absence have an impact on the amount of claims, but it also puts a strain on the team, which has to juggle the many challenges presented by the situation.
In recent years, the industry has studied the issue and has proposed medical innovations to identify solutions that can bring costs down and promote continuing returns. Pharmacogenetics is one such innovation. It is a simple, non-invasive genetic test that quickly identifies things such as the most appropriate drug to a treat mental health condition. Thanks to Biron, Exclusive Benefits for Members is offering a discount on the purchase of a pharmacogenetic test, including home delivery.
Speaking of mental health, what is the primary source of stress for employees?
N.L.: We cannot ignore the current economic situation. Personal finances are cited as the main source of stress by 35% of workers. This percentage climbs to 41% among workers aged 18 to 34.4
With our Exclusive Benefits for Members offers, we aim to alleviate the financial and mental burden of life’s ups and downs. With this in mind, we have brought Flight Claim (Vol en retard) on board as a partner in our selection. Its virtual travel assistant—offered at a discounted price—makes it easy for AGA members to get the compensation they are entitled to in the event of air travel disruptions, without having to worry about the stress involved.
Based on your in-depth knowledge of the market, how do members feel about this type of program designed to enhance their use of benefits?
N.L.: Benefits Canada’s 2023 survey reports that the vast majority of plan members (94%) stated that they would like to improve at least one aspect of their health. Sleep (41%) stands out, ranking second among the top five areas for improvement. Through our partner Haleo, our members can access simple, effective support to improve the quality of their sleep.
Other top priorities include physical activity (46%), healthy eating (38%), weight loss (34%) and stress management (33%).
The important thing to remember is that plan members respond positively to this kind of offer. It is a win-win situation for employers and employees alike. The same survey reports that 64% of plan members would agree to receive information on health-related issues based on their use of the benefits provided by their insurance company. Specifically, 40% would like general information on what to do to stay healthy, while 37% would like advice on managing their health issues.
As an employee benefits specialist, AGA consistently monitors the latest trends and issues to provide its members with exclusive benefits!
Contact your AGA advisor to design an innovative strategy for your benefits programs.
¹ 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey
2 'Sandwich generation' increasingly trapped by work-life overload – The Globe and Mail
3 2021 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey
4 Telus Health – Mental Health Index report, 2023
Holder of a Corporate Finance degree from HEC Montréal, Alexandre Timothy has been passionate about sales, business development and employee benefits throughout his career. This passion and his fresh take on the industry make him go the extra mile to help businesses offer the very best to their employees. He thrives on developing new partnerships and unhesitatingly steps out of his comfort zone to learn more effectively and keep moving forward. His philosophy consists in enjoying work and improving as a team, because the success of each depends on the success of all! An elite player, Alexandre contributes to AGA’s growth by creating added value for clients and insured members alike.