Employers are facing growing pressure on their benefits plans as financial stress shapes how employees access care, use coverage and experience health outcomes across life stages, according to a new report by Beneva Inc.

It found mental illness alone is estimated to cost the Canadian economy $51 billion annually, while mental-health leaves cost employers twice as much as those related to physical disability.

Among younger workers aged 18 to 30, financial pressure is contributing to the increased use of mental-health services, according to the report, with the number of insured individuals consulting a mental-health professional doubling between 2017 and 2025. Antidepressant usage also grew at a rate 2.5-times higher than in other age groups over the same period.

Read: Canadian........

© Benefits Canada