Wednesday, June 10, 2026
7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Registration and information desk open

Check in and pick up your badge.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Pre-conference Networking Activity – Guided Walking Tour

Connect with fellow attendees on a guided walking tour of Upper Old Quebec.
This is a limited-capacity activity. Please sign up during the registration process.  

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Opening General Session

Welcome to Quebec City and the CLHIA Claims and Anti-Fraud Conference! Join us at our opening general session hosted by our Conference Chair, William Chartrand from MunichRe.

Speaker: 
William Chartrand, Chair, Executive Committee of the Claims and Anti-Fraud Section


CLHIA leadership

Speakers: 
Joanne Bradley, Vice President, Anti-Fraud, CLHIA
Barbara Carnegie, Vice President, Healthcare and Group Benefits
Lyne Duhaime, President Quebec Affairs & SVP, Conduct Policy and Regulation, CLHIA


From Everest to the Everyday: Leading with Purpose Through Change
Endurance athlete and leadership speaker Sébastien Sasseville shares awe-inspiring lessons on resilience, leadership, and change—drawn from summiting Mount Everest while living with type 1 diabetes.

Speaker: 
Sebastian Sasseville, Endurance Athlete | Motivational Speaker | Leadership, Teamwork, and Change Management


This keynote presentation is sponsored by: 

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Lunch – Opening of Exhibit Hall

Help us kick off the conference at lunch with the opening of the Exhibit Hall. Enjoy extended time to connect with nearly 50 companies and associations offering expertise across healthcare consulting, technology, audit, investigations, and more. Be sure to collect points with each exhibitor for the Conference Challenge and enter booth draws with participating companies.


The opening is sponsored by Platinum Level Sponsors

12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
Spotlight Sessions: Live from the Exhibit Hall

Join these 20 minute exhibitor talks in a casual, open theatre setting next to the Exhibit Hall, with headsets provided and seating available on a first come basis.

Exhibitor Spotlight #1  12:45pm-1:05pm
Speaker: 
Shift Representative


Exhibitor Spotlight #2   1:15pm-1:35pm
Getting What You Pay For: Credential Clarity, Cost Control and Countering Risk in Naturopathic Benefits

Speakers:
Gemma Beierback, CAE, Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors
Dr. Tracy-Lynn Reside, MSc, ND, Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors


Exhibitor Spotlight #3   1:45pm-2:05pm
Speaker: 
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) Representative

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Breakouts 1A - Organized Crime, Fraud and the Risks Facing Insurers

Track: Anti-Fraud

The OPP Identity Crimes Unit (ICU) are leaders in understanding Account Takeovers (ATO), identity theft scams including SIM swaps (an emerging and rapidly evolving threat) and the ways in which businesses are vulnerable to exploitation by organized crime groups using stolen or fabricated identities. Conference attendees may be unaware of these emerging risks, leaving both private and public-sector organizations vulnerable to criminal exploitation.

The presentation will highlight both new and emerging fraud trends alongside more traditional fraud schemes. The overarching goal is to provide attendees with a deeper understanding of how organized crime groups leverage compromised or fraudulently obtained identities to facilitate a wide range of offences, exploit system vulnerabilities and evade established security controls.

Speakers:
Kevin Scime, Detective Constable, OPP
Randy Smith, Detective Sergeant, OPP

Breakouts 1B - Rethinking Risk: Using Behavioral Economics to Transform Customer Experience

Track: Critical Illness/Life

Ready to challenge traditional customer experience design? In this session, we’ll explore how behavioral economics and the psychology of uncertainty shape consumer perceptions of risk and decision making. From cognitive biases to emotional drivers, we’ll reveal the hidden forces behind customer behavior—and how these insights can reshape the insurance journey. By deepening our understanding of how people interpret risk, we can build more accurate, fair, and innovative assessments while better supporting the choices consumers make when considering our products.

Speaker:
Alex Kaju, Head L&H Customer Experience Americas, Swiss Re

Breakouts 1C - A century of care: The evolution of disability claims management in group insurance

Track: Disability

This interactive workshop traces the 100-year evolution of disability claims management in Canada, from its early reactive roots to today’s structured, member-centered approach. Participants will explore how claims handling has shifted from basic benefit payment to proactive case management focused on rehabilitation, return-to-work, and holistic member support.

Using storytelling, timelines, and “then vs. now” scenarios, the session highlights key milestones—including the emergence of group disability insurance, standardized processes, case management, mental health integration, and the use of data and analytics. Participants will reflect on how lessons from the past shape modern best practices and their day-to-day decision-making.

By the end of the workshop, attendees will better understand the value of their role within a century-long legacy of progress and how today’s tools and approaches continue to improve outcomes for the members they serve.

Speaker:
Claire Leger, Life, Disability and Critical Illness Claims Consultant, Alberta Blue Cross

Breakouts 1D - Health & Dental Claims Roundtable Discussion (CLHIA members only)

Track: Health & Dental

Breakouts 1E - Disability Litigation Roundtable Discussion (CLHIA members only)

Track: Disability

3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Transition Break
 
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Inside Project Inverness: How Collaboration Is Disrupting a Sophisticated Provider Fraud Scheme

Track: Anti-Fraud

Provider fraud continues to evolve in scale and sophistication, requiring insurers to move faster—and together—to stay ahead. This session offers an inside look at Project Inverness, a complex provider fraud scheme that escalated rapidly and ultimately brought the Joint Provider Fraud Investigation Program (JPFIP) for consideration. 

Manulife will walk participants through how the scheme was first identified, highlighting the key fraud indicators involved, including fake clinics, false policies, and coordinated activity that grew exponentially over time. Attendees will gain insight into how early red flags developed into a large‑scale investigation and the decision points that led to broader industry collaboration. 

Leila Campbell from CLHIA will then share how leveraging the JPFIP framework proved critical in disrupting the scheme, enabling participating insurers to get ahead of the fraudsters through information sharing, coordination, and collective action. 

The session will conclude with insights from insurers who participated in the joint investigation, offering practical perspectives on collaboration, challenges encountered, and lessons learned that can be applied to future provider fraud threats. 

Speakers:
Leila Campbell, Senior Manager, Anti-Fraud Program, CLHIA 
Colin Darmon, Investigator, Manulife 
Kelsie Lempen, Investigation Consultant – Provider Risk, Manulife

Breakouts 2B - Roundtable Discussion (CLHIA members only)

Track: Critical Illness

Breakouts 2C - Why do we lie? The psychology of lying and how to use it to promote honesty in insurance

Track: Disability

Most people like to consider themselves as honest. But everyone has the capacity for dishonesty at times. It's part of being human. Psychologists know that context plays a big role in whether otherwise honest people will be encouraged to lie. For the insurance industry this is an important insight. From policy applications to assessing claims, few industries are as reliant on customer honesty as life and health insurance. Understanding the contextual and psychological forces that enable honest people to lie can help the industry to design products and processes that discourage it.

In this session we will discuss the psychology of lying and RGA's behavioural science research that shows how to design insurance processes that encourage honesty and accuracy. We will share practical strategies that can be applied in underwriting and claims to encourage honesty while delivering simple customer experiences.

Speaker:
Peter Hovard, Chief Behavioural Scientist, RGA

Breakouts 2D - Vaccines

Track: Health & Dental

Breakouts 2E - Reinventing claims in the age of AI: From automation to intelligent decision-making

Track: Health & Dental

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how insurers manage claims, unlocking new opportunities to improve operational efficiency while delivering faster, more seamless experiences for members. In this session, we will explore practical ways AI can be applied across the claims lifecycle to streamline processes, reduce manual effort, and support better decision-making. From intelligent document processing and triage to fraud detection and member communications, we will highlight real-world use cases that demonstrate how AI can augment claims teams rather than replace them. Attendees will gain insight into how leading organizations are leveraging AI to accelerate claims processing, enhance accuracy, and identify potential fraud earlier, while maintaining transparency and trust. The session will also discuss implementation considerations, including governance, data readiness, and responsible AI practices that are critical in highly regulated insurance environments. Designed for claims and anti-fraud professionals, this presentation will provide actionable ideas and a forward-looking perspective on how AI can help insurers modernize operations and deliver a better experience for members in an increasingly digital landscape.

Speaker:
Atul Goela, Principal Director, Accenture

4:45 PM - 6:30 PM
Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall

Join us for the Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall—an important opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and continue conversations with exhibitors. Be sure to collect points for the Conference Challenge and enter booth draws with participating companies.

Sponsored by Gold Level Sponsors

5:00 PM - 6:20 PM
Spotlight Sessions: Live in the Exhibit Hall

Continue to hear from more exhibitors as they share insights in focused 20 minute sessions in the Exhibit Hall Spotlight Theatre.

Exhibitor Spotlight #4   5:00pm-5:20pm
Speaker:
Association des Orthésistes et des Prothésistes du Québec (AOPQ) Representative


Exhibitor Spotlight #5   5:30pm-5:50pm
Future-Proofing Mental Health Benefits: Protecting Access, Controlling Costs, and Managing Risk

Speaker:
Michael Radano, CEO of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors


Exhibitor Spotlight #6   6:00pm-6:20pm
Closing the Gap: Securing the Right Medical Expert, in the Right Specialty, at the Right Time

Speaker:
Erica Enstrom, General Manager, Canada, Integra Medical Consulting Inc. 

6:30 PM
Enjoy your evening in Quebec City

Please make your own reservation.

Thursday, June 11, 2026
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast while attending a Sunrise Talk. 

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Sunrise Talks A - Introduction to AI & Machine Learning in Fraud detection

Fraudsters are using sophisticated tools, organized networks, and stolen data at scale—so how can insurers keep up? In this fast-paced introduction to AI and machine learning, Dan McKenzie breaks down how modern analytics can uncover fraud that traditional rules miss. Using a real-world case study of abnormal doctor billing behavior, this session shows how machine learning can detect hidden patterns, prioritize investigations, and quantify risk—even with limited data. Designed for business leaders and practitioners alike, this practical session cuts through the hype and explains what AI can actually do today. Grab a coffee and start your day with a fresh perspective on fraud detection.

Speaker:
Dan McKenzie, Sales Specialist Financial Crimes Canada, SAS

Sunrise Talks B - Beyond Wellness: Rethinking Women’s Health, Menopause, and MSK in the Workplace

This session explores the broader landscape of women’s health in the workforce, with a focused lens on menopause and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and their impact on employee wellbeing, productivity, and business performance. It highlights how various life stages present health challenges, alongside other gender-specific health needs, which can contribute to absenteeism, presenteeism, and rising healthcare costs.

Attendees will gain actionable insights into helping employers design inclusive, data-driven plans that address women’s health more holistically, improve health outcomes, reduce long-term claims risk, and support retention and engagement across a diverse workforce throughout their life stages.

Speaker:
Dr. Ayla Azad, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Chiropractic Association

Sunrise Talks C - A New Dawn for Claims: From Fragmented Processes to Decision-Ready Intelligence

As claims complexity continues to rise, traditional workflows are no longer enough. In this Sunrise Talk presented by Carl Capato, FastTrack’s SVP of Strategic Automation Solutions, we’ll explore how leading Life & Disability carriers are moving beyond fragmented processes toward a connected, intelligence-driven future.

At the center of this shift is a new model—the Super Intelligence Ecosystem—where FastTrack’s new made-for-claims AI, BlazeIQ, orchestrates the flow of data, automation, and insights across the claims lifecycle. Powered by solutions like BlazeIQ, this approach connects medical, operational, and occupational intelligence into a unified, decision-ready experience.

The result: faster verification, more consistent and defensible decisions, and improved financial outcomes—giving claims and anti-fraud leaders a clearer, more confident path forward in a rapidly evolving landscape. 

Speaker:
Carl Capato, SVP, FastTrack

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Transition Break
 
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Breakouts 3A - Delisting and Legal Recourse: Are Insurers Prepared?

Track: Anti-Fraud

Delisting decisions carry significant legal, operational, and reputational risk. As scrutiny around these decisions continues to increase, insurers must ensure their processes and documentation can withstand challenge.

This session will explore common shortfalls and critical errors in delist submissions, including gaps in evidence, process weaknesses, and decision‑making issues that can expose insurers to litigation. It will also highlight best practices for strengthening delist submissions, improving internal controls, and ensuring decisions are defensible and well‑documented.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how to reduce legal exposure and approach delisting decisions with greater confidence and preparedness.

Speaker: 
Leah Jacqueline Saltiel, Senior Counsel, Manulife

Breakouts 3B - When Wires Get Crossed: Untangling Complex Brain Disorders

Track: Critical Illness/Life

Inspired by recent claims, this presentation will examine the intricacies of Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neuron Disease. It will provide insights on the diagnosis of these disorders, in addition to practical advice around claims assessment.

Speaker:
Dr. Tim Meagher
, VP and Medical Director, Munich Re

Breakouts 3C - Building Your Resilience During Challenging Times

Track: General

In this entertaining presentation, Addie will demonstrate how investing as little as five minutes of self-care goes a long way in building resilience and decreasing absences related to stress and mental health challenges. Based on the book she co-authored, The 5-Minute Recharge, 31 Proven Strategies to Refresh, Reset and Become the Boss of Your Day, Addie will provide useful strategies for thriving at work and in life, especially during these challenging times. These wellness strategies are all research and science based and take little time to practice.

The presentation will focus on the following:
• The five pillars of wellness: Sleep, Step, Sweat, Reflect and Connect
• Practical tips to help you optimize your mental wellness
• Strategies to help you reframe your thoughts and reflect more positively to reduce your stress

Speaker:
Addie Greco-Sanchez, President, AGS Rehab Solutions Inc.

Breakouts 3D - Drug Benefit Trends and Pharmaceutical Market Dynamics

Track: Health & Dental

This session will provide an update on drug trends across private drug plans in Canada and an overview of the pharmaceutical marketplace.

Speaker:
John Herbert
, Director, Payer Services, IQVIA

Breakouts 3E - Sobering standards: When new alcohol guidelines collide with disability adjudication

Task: Disability

The 2023 Canadian Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Use Disorder quietly—but dramatically—redefine what constitutes “appropriate treatment.” In doing so, they disrupt long-standing clinical assumptions and introduce serious downstream consequences for disability adjudication, insurance decision-making, and claims management. 

Most notably, the guidelines advise against prescribing antidepressants to individuals with active alcohol use disorder, directly contradicting treatment pathways still embedded in many adjudication frameworks. At the same time, they promote anti-craving medications such as naltrexone as first-line therapy—despite the reality that only a small fraction of Canadian patients with active AUD ever receive these prescriptions.

This disconnect creates a high-stakes adjudication gap: claimants may be labeled “non-compliant” for not receiving medications that are rarely prescribed in real-world practice, while clinicians are simultaneously discouraged from using treatments insurers may still expect to see. Managers and adjudicators are now forced to reconcile strict, updated medical standards with the uneven realities of frontline care. 

This session explores how these guidelines challenge traditional definitions of compliance, appropriate treatment, and recovery—and what insurers, case managers, and medical consultants must do to adapt.

Speakers:
Dr. Andrew Morgan, Psychiatrist 
Alexandra Perry, M.A., PhD Candidate, National Director of Substance Use Policy and Programs, SOMA Medical 
Erin Verbruggen, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships & Clients Solutions, Medaca Health Group 

Breakouts 3F - CPPD and QPPD Disability Benefits: Key Considerations for Disability Industry Stakeholders

Task: Disability

Disability industry stakeholders—including insurers, employers, case managers, rehabilitation professionals, and advocates—play an essential role in supporting individuals who rely on Canada’s disability benefit systems. Two of the most significant public programs are the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit (CPPD) and the Quebec Pension Plan Disability Benefit (QPPD).

This session will provide an overview of CPPD and QPPD benefits, focusing on practical considerations for professionals working in disability management, insurance, rehabilitation, and workplace support. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of eligibility criteria, adjudication processes, documentation requirements, and how these public programs interact with private disability coverage and return-to-work planning.

Speaker:
Allison Schmidt, CEO, Disability Claims Advocacy Clinic Inc.

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall

During this 45-minute break, enjoy refreshments and connect with more Exhibitors. Remember to collect codes from exhibitor reps for the Conference Challenge!

10:30 AM - 10:50 AM
Spotlight Session: Live in the Exhibit Hall

Continue to hear from more exhibitors as they share insights in focused 20 minute sessions in the Exhibit Hall Spotlight Theatre.

Exhibitor Spotlight #7 - Osteopathy in Canada: Navigating the Regulatory Gray Zone
Osteopathy is currently regulated in one province and actively seeking regulation in several others. This presentation will explore the critical intersections of insurance eligibility and patient safety, highlighting the education and policy gaps that enable underqualified, unregulated osteopathic practitioners to gain liability and extended health insurance. 

Though there are stringent professional liability requirements for insurance coverage, including $5,000,000 for providers involving physical contact, these are administratively sufficient, but don't adequately represent educational or practice standards. 

Practically, what this looks like in osteopathy, is a proliferation of associations whose members can ostensibly meet the administrative requirements, without having to meet national or international professional education and practice standards. Those associations and members can then be accepted by companies who provide direct billing. Ultimately, when insurance companies have easily navigated administrative requirements and minimal knowledge of how the associations accept their members, the insurance company, the profession seeking regulation, and the patient seeking care are all disadvantaged.

Speaker:
Monica Noy, President, Ontario Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (OAO)

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakouts 4A - Deepfakes, Dark Web and Fraud

Track: Anti-Fraud

Brad MacCarl, Director of Threat Intelligence at Sun Life, is set to deliver a compelling presentation on the rapidly changing threat landscape, with a particular emphasis on fraud, deepfake technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). You will learn about the increasing complexity of cyber threats, driven by the swift advancement of AI technologies that are being utilized to create new opportunities for threat actors and fraudsters. We will explore the role of AI, showcasing how it is being employed by cybercriminals, resulting in a constantly evolving battlefield. Additionally, you will be able to discover the growing sophistication of fraud tactics, underscoring the urgent need for proactive threat intelligence strategies to anticipate and mitigate emerging risks. This presentation promises to offer valuable insights for professionals in cybersecurity and fraud, as well as anyone interested in understanding how Sun Life addresses security challenges.

Speaker:
Brad MacCarl, Director of Threat Intelligence, Sun Life

Breakouts 4B - A year at a glance

Track: Critical Illness & Life

A look at a selection of decisions from across the country, focusing on how courts assess evidence, reasoning, and policy interpretation, and what that means in practical terms for claims analysis.

Speakers:
Tracey Hamilton, Senior Litigation Counsel, Beneva
Jacques Waite, Chief legal counsel & Senior director, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, iA Financial Group

Breakouts 4C - From stagnation to acceleration: MBC and interventional psychiatry for depression

Track: Disability

This insightful session delves into the complexities of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) or difficult to treat depression. This presentation will explore underlying causes, contributing factors and the normalization of suboptimal recovery that impacts disability durations and economic outcomes.

Understanding treatment-resistant depression and Measurement based care (MBC) breaks these patterns by systematically tracking symptom change and functioning, allowing the important identification of treatment resistance (TRD) early rather than after months of ineffective care. Once resistance is detected, plans can support evidence based second line interventions—including neuromodulation (rTMS, dTMS), ketamine based therapies, and other interventional psychiatric approaches—that offer faster, more durable improvement for individuals who do not respond to first line treatments. An overview of these second-line interventions will be provided including recent clinical studies on efficacy. By integrating MBC into benefit design and care pathways, insurers can reduce chronicity, shorten disability duration, and improve both clinical and economic outcomes. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding and contribute to better mental health care.

Speaker: Dr. Rakesh Jetly, Consultant Psychiatrist

Breakouts 4D - Reducing Physician Burden and Improving Patient Experience

Track: Health & Dental

This presentation will outline who Canadian Certified Pedorthists are, their national regulatory framework, and their scope of practice in determining medical need for custom foot orthoses. It will propose that insurers accept Pedorthists’ clinical impressions in lieu of physician prescriptions, aligning with existing insurer practices for comparable regulated professions. The presentation will conclude by highlighting the benefits to insurers, plan members, and the healthcare system, including reduced administrative burden, improved patient experience, alignment with emerging legislation, and maintained risk controls.  

Speaker:
Andrea Putre-Ondevilla, Certified Pedorthist, Pedorthic Association of Canada

Breakouts 4E - AI’s role in faster claims handling

Track: Health & Dental

AI offers a transformative point in handling claims. With AI, manual work can be largely eliminated, leaving employees to make decisions with more accurate and complete information at their fingertips.

Speaker:
Andrew Kearns
, Insurance Industry Leader, Appian 

Breakouts 4F - Mental Health Claims: STD to LTD Conversion Should Be The Exception Not The Rule

Track: Disability

Are mental health claims getting the attention they deserve?
Is our industry doing enough to support claimants in their return-to-work journey while managing carrier risk? Lingering claims impact everyone.
We invite you to an insightful discussion on practical strategies and insights to improve outcomes and reduce long-term disability exposure.

Speakers:
Ian Bridgman, Founder & CEO, The Claim Lab, 
Dr. Les Kertay, Chief Psychologist, The Claim Lab
 

12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Lunch in Exhibit Hall

Tour around the Exhibit Hall and enjoy lunch with colleagues! 

Lunch is sponsored by Platinum sponsors

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
General Session #2 - From Gaps to Opportunity: Rethinking Rehabilitation in Canada

After lunch, join us for coffee and dessert for a special session featuring guest speaker.

Canada’s unmet rehabilitation needs are creating a widening gap between injury, pain, mental health, and recovery—one that carries significant consequences for individuals, employers, and insurers alike. Drawing on the research, Dr. Pierre Côté, will explore how musculoskeletal conditions and access to rehabilitation services are at the center of this challenge. For forward-thinking insurers, this moment presents an opportunity: to invest in prevention, enable earlier access to care, and support healthier workplaces. Doing so can reduce long-term costs, improve outcomes, and reshape how we think about risk in the years ahead.

Join Dr. Ayla Azad, CEO of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, and Dr. Pierre Côté, Director of the Institute for Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Rehabilitation and Musculoskeletal Health at Ontario Tech University, for an engaging and timely discussion on what unmet rehabilitation needs mean for the future of risk, cost, and workforce health in Canada.

Speakers:
Dr. Ayla Azad, CEO, Canadian Chiropractic Association
Professor Pierre Côté, Hann-Kelly Family Chair in Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Research Excellence Chair in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Director in Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Director in WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation and Musculoskeletal Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University

2:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Transition Break
 
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Breakouts 5A - Criminal Prosecution of Providers Engaged in Benefits Fraud: A Discussion

Track: Anti-Fraud

The root cause of benefits fraud is often fraudulent providers. This session will explore the criminal prosecution of providers engaged in benefits fraud, and discuss factors that insurers should keep in mind when designing their risk management processes and deciding whether to make a complaint to law enforcement.

Speakers:
Mitchell Flagg, Crown Prosecutor, Serious Fraud Office (virtual)
Nicole Hanks, Detective Staff Sergeant, Serious Fraud Office
Brendan Wong, Partner and Regional Manager (Disputes), Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Breakouts 5B - Mental health has no borders: supporting disability claims and return to work through empathetic, accessible, continuity-focused care

Track: Disability 

Mental health disability claims do not end at adjudication. Once a decision is made, access to timely and appropriate care, as well as continuity of that care, are critical to recovery and a successful return-to-work process. This is increasingly important as mental health challenges now account for nearly 40% of long-term disability claims in Canada, making them the most common category of LTD claims nationwide (HR Reporter, 2024). Treating mental health on par with physical health is essential to effective and equitable disability management.

This session examines the role insurers and claims adjusters play in supporting employees through the return-to-work journey, not as care providers, but as informed and empathetic connectors to qualified mental health professionals. It explores how counselling and psychotherapy support functional recovery, why continuity of care matters, and how regulatory and scope-of-practice differences across Canada can affect access. Participants will gain practical insight into engaging employees in an informed and sensitive manner, facilitating appropriate referrals, supporting access across provincial and territorial borders (including virtual care), and enhancing claimant experience while supporting sustainable return-to-work outcomes.

Speakers:
Karina Albert, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Dr. Kim Hollihan, CEO, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association

Breakouts 5C - New rules, new playbook: Civil procedure changes and what they mean for insurance claims

Track: Disability

This panel will review recent changes to Ontario’s Rules of Civil Procedure and compare them to the procedural frameworks in British Columbia and Quebec.  The discussion will focus on practical implications for life and disability insurance claims, including litigation strategy, timelines, and cost considerations from a claims perspective.

Speakers:
Kevin Cooke, Partner, Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP
Jonathan Lim, Partner, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP

Breakouts 5D - The Next Frontier of Women’s Health Coverage: Menopause Care

Track: Health & Dental

Why menopause support is emerging as the next major wave in women’s health benefits — and what that means for group insurance design.

Takeaways include: Where traditional benefits fall short, Innovative plan models integrating hormone therapy, nutrition, and behavioral support, and how addressing menopause supports DEI, productivity, and health equity goals

Speaker: 
Dr. Natalie Perkins, Founder & CEO PAUZ Health

Breakouts 5E - From Red Flags to Resilience: Fraud, AI and the Future Claims Team

Track: Life & CI

Explore the challenges facing our industry – how fraud, AI, technology and the evolving role of the claims examiner is changing the face of any claims department. Presenters will share examples and insights through case studies and discussion of key management topics across various lines of business.

Speakers:
Yolla Fadlallah, VP, Claims & Operations, SCOR Life & Health
Christina McWatt, Vice President, Market Units L&H Reinsurance, Swiss Re
Stacey Ramirez, AVP Claims, Munich Re

3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Exhibit Hall Closing Reception & Exhibitor Draw Showcase

Don’t miss your last chance to connect with nearly 50 exhibitors before the Exhibit Hall wraps up! Many exhibitors are showing their appreciation by participating in this year’s Exhibitor Draw Showcase. 

Winners will be drawn around 4pm by Conference Chair, William Chartrand —remember, you must be present to win! 

Note: Exhibitors and sponsors are not eligible to participate in the draw. 


Closing reception sponsored by Silver Level Sponsors

4:45 PM - 6:30 PM
Open Time

Refresh, catch up on work, or chat with colleagues before the Special Event 

6:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Special Event at Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury

Step into a roaring ’20s celebration as we mark 100 years of the CLHIA Claims & Anti‑Fraud Conference—an unforgettable evening of Gatsby glamour, live music, and swing dancing in a historic setting.

Friday, June 12, 2026
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast
 
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Breakouts 6A - Anti-Fraud Roundtable Discussion (CLHIA members only)

Track: Anti-Fraud

Breakouts 6B - New and emerging medicines

Track: Health

Breakouts 6C - Disability Claims Roundtable Discussion (CLHIA members only)

Track: Disability

Breakouts 6D - The Dental Landscape: trends in Canada

Track: Health & Dental

Updates and trends on the dentistry landscape.

Speaker: 
Dr. Aaron Burry
, CEO, Canadian Dental Association

Breakouts 6E - Life Claims Roundtable Discussion (CLHIA members only)

Track: Life

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Transition Break
 
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
General Session #3: The Silver Lining to a Cloud of Trauma

An engaging and emotional presentation by a retired RCMP officer on how a routine call for service ended up changing his perspective on conducting investigative interviews. Learn from Bruce Pitt-Payne how his experience, both during the incident and subsequent investigation, led him to learn about the science of human memory and trauma and transform the way he spoke with witnesses and suspects. You will improve your communication skills without having to survive a traumatic experience.

Speaker:
Bruce Pitt-Payne, Owner, Bruce Pitt-Payne Consulting & Training

11:15 AM - 11:35 AM
CLHIA Update

What’s Next for CAFC: CLHIA Priorities and Future Hot Topics

Speaker:
Stephen Frank, President & CEO, CLHIA

11:35 AM - 11:45 AM
Closing Remarks

We will close the conference with a few special announcements from our Conference Chair, William Chartrand from MunichRe.
 
Speaker: 
William Chartrand, Chair, Executive Committee of the Claims and Anti-Fraud Section