LOOK MA, WE’RE IN THE NEWS!

Please note that many of the publications linked below have been transitioning documents to new servers and links may be broken.  If you find that to be the case, please search by the document title (“in quotes” is best).

Date	Description
August 2024	2024 Consultants Report: Is there an inherent conflict of interest when consulting firms consolidate? – Ben. Can.
August 2023	Dental costs soaring across Canada as fee guides get updated – Globe & Mail
July 2023	How are consultants helping plan sponsors make the most of their benefits, retirement data? – Benefits Canada
January 2022	Health-care spending accounts may cover prescribed COVID-19 tests – Insurance Journal
October 2021	How CGIB and BBD are closing a crucial group benefits plan gap – Life Health Pro
September 2021	How are benefit plans holding up in COVID – Insurance Journal
August 2021	Possible national pharmacare program has pros, cons for employers: experts – Benefits Canada
August 2021	Health Economics & Private Plans – Benefits Canada
June 2021	Stellar year in the year of COVID – Insurance Journal
May 2021	Advisor Q&A on group insurance plans & on my book “Selling Benefits”
April 2021	What’s the solution to increasing drug-plan costs for plan sponsors?
January 2021	IMC 2016-2019 Analysis of Private Drug Claim Cost Drivers
December 2020	Helping clients navigate the seas of group insurance
December 2020	How to prosper in the group benefits business
December 2020	How this Not-for-profit Saved Costs Through an ASO Plan (Case Study)
October 2020	What’s the latest on benefits, retirement advisor fee disclosure?
April 2020	How are insurers using block-level contract amendments to control drug costs?
June 2020	6th Annual Benefits Advisors’ Drug Plan Outlook Page 12 (PDF version)
April 2020	COVID-19 crisis sparks greater interest in life insurance
April 2020	Read the contracts you sell with care. (PDF version)
April 2020	Read the contracts you sell with care. (PAGE 10)
March 2020	What dental benefits topics should plan sponsor be considering?
March 2020	Dwindling interest in classroom continuing education raises concerns
February 2020	Insurers advised to change LTD practices affecting small employers
January 2020	Coverage Improves For Women Returning From Mat Leave
January 2020	2019 benefits costs show the sky isn’t falling
January 2020	Mat leave returners no longer facing reset of LTD pre-existing clause
November 2019	Why can’t people understand that it’s the employers that pay for benefits?
June 2019 Magazine – Page 19	Can new healthcare and technology solutions for employees be integrated into private drug plan designs?
June 2019	Gaps persist in plan sponsor, member views on benefits: Sanofi
June 2019	CLHIA withdraws contentious Guideline G19
June 2019	CLHIA withdraws compensation disclosure guideline
May 2019	Why You Should Use A Group Insurance Advisor
May 2019	Group benefits advisors urged to stay vigilant about G19
May 2019	G19 “misunderstood”
April 2019	Who’s responsible for detecting benefits fraud? – Comment
March 2019	Ontario dental fees to increase by 4.19% – Comment
March 2019	USE, DON’T FEAR, TECHNOLOGY (8th post down)
December 2018	CLHIA’s CEO lays out some of the big industry topics for 2019 – Comment
December 2018	Join an advocacy group so that your voice is heard – Insurance Journal
November 2018	It’s time to use your benefits or lose them – Letters to Editor – Toronto Star – Original Article
November 2018	Most group benefits advisors disclose compensation, says survey
November 2018	Group insurance brokers worried about taxation of health benefits
August 2018	Dave Patriarche counters CLHIA’s stance
August 2018	2018 Consultants Report: New challenges for consultants as the landscape evolves
July 2018	Canadian Group Insurance Brokers partners with online HR company
June 2018	Revised G19 guideline still creating anxiety among group brokers
June 2018	THE SANOFI CANADA HEALTHCARE SURVEY
June 2018	Sanofi survey finds 85% of plan members used drug plans last year
May 2018	CLHIA announces tweaks to advisor compensation disclosure guideline
May 2018	Sailing the Canals in France
May 2018	PHARMACARE AND PRIVATE PLANS: AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE RISK?
April 2018	From Contracts To Claims: Helping Plan Sponsors With Effective Drug Plan Solutions
April 2018	What Could Go Wrong If I Change My Group Benefits Supplier?
March 2018	Compensation disclosure guideline faces headwinds?
March 2018	PHARMACARE AND PRIVATE PLANS: AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE RISK?
February 2018	New disclosure rules from CLHIA draw complaints.
February 2018	Insurers respond to advisors’ criticism on compensation guideline.
February 2018	Brokers group hits out at insurers over compensation guideline.
January 2018	Compensation disclosure guideline making waves in benefits, retirement market.
November 2017	Why startups should resist the allure of a Cadillac benefits plan.
May 2017	Mentoring benefits mentors as much as new entrants.
May 2017	Consolidators focusing on group firms.
May 2017	Stability is golden in a group insurance business portfolio.
April 2017	Employee benefits is the best business.
April 2017	Sailing the Atlantic (Nova Scotia to St. Martin) with John Kretschmer.
April 2017	Sailing the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia.
March 2017	The Evolution of Health Benefits in Canada.
February 2017	Trudeau rules out tax on health benefits.
March 2017	Are your clients putting employees on pregnancy leave at risk?.
February 2017	Trudeau rules out tax on health benefits.
January 2017	How Ontario’s underused public pharmacare program could save private drug plans.
January 2017	BenefitsGenius.ca MONTHLY Podcasts
January 2017	Update on Trillium & First Payer within Private Plans.
January 2017	Letter to Editor: Changes needed to maintain viable and healthy group plan coverage.
January 2017	How Ontario’s underused public pharmacare program could save private drug plans.
January 2017	Cut-off age for long-term disability benefits should remain the same.
December 2016	The Insurance and Investment Journal is very proud to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a very special feature   20 interviews with 20 leaders! Details
November 2016	Ontario government’s plan should reduce burden of higher drug costs.
November 2016	CGIB asks insurers to stop making unilateral changes to contracts – Insurance & investment Journal.
October 2016	Bridging the generational gap: Part 1 – Small Biz Advisor.
September 2016	Why it matters that insurers are paying more claims than ever – Small Biz Advisor.
August 2016	Help your clients stay in CRA’s good books – Small Biz Advisor.
July 2016	What Advisors are Reading – Small Biz Advisor.
June 2016	THE SANOFI CANADA HEALTHCARE SURVEY 2016.
May 2016	CPBI National Forum
April 2016	SMEs need benefits solutions as costs go up – Small Biz Advisor.
April 2016	Drug pooling plans still face many barriers – Small Biz Advisor.
October 2015	Stay current to stay relevant – Small Biz Advisor.
September 2015	Canadian Leadership Council: A Seat at the Table.
August 2015	What Advisors are Reading – Small Biz Advisor.
June 2015	Drugs: The Perils Of Capping Drug Plans – Benefits and Pension Monitor.
June 2015	HEPATITIS C TREATMENTS EXPECTED TO CATAPULT GROUP PLAN DRUG SPENDING
May 2015	The Trillium Drug Program, part 1: What’s happening now – Small Biz Advisor.
May 2015	The Trillium Drug Program, part 2: Avoiding quick fixes – Small Biz Advisor.
May 2015	The Trillium Drug Program, part 3: Coping with catastrophic drug claims – Small Biz Advisor.
May 2015	The Trillium Drug Program, part 4: What advisors need to do – Small Biz Advisor.
May 8, 2015	Insurers error driving costs up – Life Health Professional
April 2015	1st Annual Benefits Advisors’ Drug Plan Outlook – Benefits and Pension  Monitor
March 2015	The trick to keeping clients’ trust – Small Biz Advisor.
January 2015	Top benefits trends for 2015 – Small Biz Advisor.
December 12, 2014	Pooling Not Ready For Prime-time – Benefits and Pension Monitor.
April 2014	How companies tackle the rise of high-cost claimants – Benefits Canada.
April 2014	Analyzing your clients’ claims experiences: best practices- Small Biz Advisor.
February 2014	Letter to the Editor:  Why are we being so self destructive?- Insurance & Investment Journal
January 2014	Reform Needed to Deal with the cost of Catastrophic Drugs- Insurance & Investment Journal.
October 2013	Group Sales has Its Benefits- Investment Executive.
August 2013	SPECIALIZATION BRINGS SUCCESS – The Investment and Insurance Journal.
June 2013	CANADA SALES CONGRESS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!- Investment and Insurance Journal.
May 23, 2013	Employee Q&A: Drug claims – Small Biz Advisor.
May 20, 2013	CGIB June Seminar: Q&A with 3 small biz owners & CRA’s new PSB – Small Biz Advisor.
April 2013	Stop running bad client meetings – Small Biz Advisor.
April 2013	Do you know what to tell clients about T4s? – Small Biz Advisor.
May 2013	Canada Sales Congress – speaker.
March 2013	When privacy rules slow you down – Small Biz Advisor.
March 2013	Navigate privacy setbacks – Small Biz Advisor.
March 2013	Ontario Event: CGIB’s plan admin checklist – Small Biz Advisor.
January 2013	New year is an excuse to update beneficiaries – Small Biz Advisor.
January 2013	Advisor Q&A: How do you build client trust? – Small Biz Advisor.
Dec. 2012	Insurance plans get new travel exclusions – Toronto Star.
November 2012	Are your clients’ booklets up to date? – Small Biz Advisor.
November 2012	Advisor Q&A: How do you handle an aging group? – Small Biz Advisor.
October 2012	Do you know what benefit fraud looks like? – Small Biz Advisor.
September 2012	A simple skill you might be neglecting – Small Biz Advisor.
September 2012	Advisor Q&A: What makes a renewal fair? – Small Biz Advisor.
August 2012	Why definitions of earnings are so important – Small Biz Advisor.
July 2012	You’re asking the wrong people for referrals – Small Biz Advisor.
June 2012	Advisor Q&A: Why is benchmarking important? – Small Biz Advisor.
May 2012	Education should be a priority- Small Biz Advisor.
May 2012	Arete Group Insurance Advisor Conference (AGIAC)- 2012 – Calgary – Small Biz Advisor.
April 2012	AGIAC for group advisors – Small Biz Advisor.
April 2012	Insurers to share costs of high-priced drugs – Small Biz Advisor.
March 2012	Case Study: Creative Plan Design – Small Biz Advisor.
March 2012	How can advisors leverage technology to grow their business? – Small Biz Advisor.
February 2012	Why mandatory enrollment is so important, Part 2 – Small Biz Advisor.
February 2012	Why mandatory enrollment is so important – Small Biz Advisor.
February 2012	Are you worth it? – BBD’s the Bee Hive.
February 2012	Communicate plan changes quickly and efficiently – Small Biz Advisor.
November/December 2011	From Breakfast Club to Formal Association – The Insurance & Investment Journal.
November 2011	Want to be a better benefits advisor – Small Biz Advisor.
October 2011	3 tips to make renewals easier – Small Biz Advisor.
Octobee 2011	Renewals: Challenges for advisors – Small Biz Advisor.
October 2011	Renewals: How advisors can prepare – Small Biz Advisor.
May 2011	What your clients need to know about emergency travel insurance – Small Biz Advisor.
September 2008	Are You Worth It? Commissions can say a lot about your value – Advisor Forum.
June 2008	Gift of life recipient gives back at clinic – Thornhill Liberal.
November/December 2002	The Effect of Rate Shopping – Insurance Journal.

Special thanks to my editor, Joanne, without whom these articles would be unbelievably MUCH worser.