There’s so much information to be gleaned from the recently published Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey. And much of it directly applies to employers—including those who own small businesses. One interesting point is that more and more, employees (and people in general) are beginning to view mental health as an important component of overall wellness. And that could impact the kind of benefits plan you choose for your business.It bears mentioning that that mental illness is a leading cause of disability claims today, and can result in the highest costs per claim, as well. So if you’re thinking about putting a benefits plan in place in your company, you want to be sure it’s flexible enough to cover issues like these (The BeniPlus Benefit Wallet does.) And, keep in mind too that mental health and physical health are very closely tied. According to Chris Bonnett of H3 Consulting, a contributor to the Sanofi report:

“Research shows that almost one in three people with cancer also have a diagnosed mental illness, most often depression and anxiety. It’s not surprising. Our health strategy should include all the conditions that affect productivity, well-being and quality of life.”

Bringing it all home: the top five chronic diseases/conditions today are mental illness, hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis and diabetes. Given the ever-broadening spectrum of health and wellness issues, it’s helpful to know that a BeniPlus Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — the kind that BeniPlus offers—can give your employees the freedom to allocate their plan resources as they see fit. And, most importantly, if your employees don’t use their benefits, with BeniPlus, you as the employer does not pay.For more details on the Sanofi survey results, you can view the full 2019 Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey here. Or better yet, why not contact BeniPlus now to get a quote—and let us show how you can address your employees’ wellness concerns, both mental and physical, with a simple, flexible, affordable BeniPlus plan that’s designed to meet your specific needs.