Between 2019 and 2023, chronic disease drug claims increased much faster among younger plan members compared to older generations, according to a new report by Sun Life. The report, which analyzed drug claims data of more than 3 million plan members over a five-year period, found across all age groups, nearly half (45.1 per cent) of […]
Treating obesity with all available evidence-based tools ultimately costs less than not treating it, according to panellists during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by Eli Lilly Canada Inc. in collaboration with Obesity Canada. Dr. Akshay Jain (pictured right), a clinical and research endocrinologist, provided an overview of obesity — a chronic, progressive, […]
Plan sponsors are facing the perfect storm of rising benefits costs, a surge in chronic disease prevalence and fierce competition for top talent. All the while, 55 per cent of Canadian workers feel their employee benefits plan doesn’t fully meet their needs, according to Telus Health’s mental-health index. More than 50 per cent of plan members […]
While migraine is a complex neurological condition that can significantly impact patients’ quality of life and ability to work, it’s also poorly understood and often accompanied by the weight of stigma, said Elizabeth Leroux, faculty lecturer at McGill University, during a session sponsored by Lundbeck at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Healthy Outcomes Conference. One in 10 Canadians […]
A significant share of Canadians with diabetes struggle to keep their glucose levels in check, a worrying trend given the growing prevalence of diabetes in the country. Roughly 75 per cent of Canadians who use insulin to manage their diabetes — and 40 per cent of those who don’t — aren’t hitting their glucose targets, […]
Plan sponsors are facing a chronic disease “tsunami” that is leading to higher benefits and drug plan spend and increasing disability claims. But the three root causes of this growing problem — undiagnosed health issues, the availability of primary and preventative health care and challenges navigating the health-care system — are issues plan sponsors are […]
Cancer treatments represented 33 per cent of medicines in all phases of clinical trials in 2023, followed by treatments for infectious diseases (13 per cent) and central nervous system diseases (12 per cent), according to a new report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. It found more than 12,000 new medicines were undergoing clinical […]
With lyrics adapted to the tune of ‘Magic’ by Scottish pop group Pilot, the melody of ‘Oh, Oh, Oh, Ozempic’ is splashed across U.S. televisions in a snappy advertising campaign. The commercial push is likely unnecessary. Ozempic, one of the brand names of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, […]
Canadian health benefits plan members are increasingly feeling financially strained, according to the 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey — a finding that experts say should be a call to action to employers to include more financial wellness supports in benefits plans. Personal finances has remained plan members’ top stressor for the past two years, with […]
When considering whether to cover Wegovy, an obesity medication, it’s important for plan sponsors to weigh increased short-term costs with long-term savings, while considering alternative treatments that are also available, says Philippe Laplante, a principal at Eckler Ltd. Plan sponsors that decide to cover Wegovy, which launched in Canada last month, could see a significant cost […]