Bargaining benefits
Health Spending Accounts (HSAs)
Jan 25, 2006 12:25 PM Health Spending Accounts (HSAs) are being promoted by employers as a way to save costs. While common in the U.S, HSAs are just starting to appear in Canada. Canadian consulting and insurance companies (often subsidiaries of U.S. companies) are increasingly marketing administrative services for HSAs to employers as a way to save benefit costs.
"Flexible" benefits
Jan 25, 2006 11:23 AM Flexible benefit plans are an attack on traditional benefit plans. Calling them ‘flexible’ makes them sound better than they really are. Flexible plans are also referred to as 'cafeteria', 'supermarket' or 'smorgasbord' plans.
Collective agreement language
Jan 25, 2006 11:12 AM Too many CUPE collective agreements only include language on the share of premium to be paid by the employer. Very few contain language addressing actual benefit coverage, which means that benefit coverage cannot be grieved and the employer can make changes without advising the union.
An overview of the issues
Jan 25, 2006 11:06 AM The quality of workers’ benefits has a huge influence on their well-being. At bargaining tables across the country, benefits are under attack. Faced with large increases in health costs, employers are demanding concessions in existing benefits and, in collaboration with insurance companies, developing new and creative ways to erode benefit plans.
Checklist for benefit plans
Jan 24, 2006 03:41 PM Checklist – How does your plan compare?
Drug plan - Can we negotiate cost savings?
Jan 24, 2006 03:37 PM Because drugs are the greatest source of benefit plan cost increases, employers target drugs for cost saving schemes. Even though the research shows that the primary source of skyrocketing prices is the new “me-too” drugs and not increased usage, employers usually seek solutions that download costs to plan members.
Why are drug costs escalating?
Jan 24, 2006 03:15 PM Prescription drug costs jumped 62.3% between 1994 and 2004. Bad government policies, the practices of greedy and unrestricted drug companies, and various usage issues are among the reasons.