Various forms of digital health care have been available in Canada for several years, but I’d argue nothing has accelerated the awareness, need and adoption of these services more than the current coronavirus pandemic. No one has been untouched by this pandemic, which has compelled us to rethink our previous ways of doing things in […]
The majority (81.5 per cent) of plan members participating in digital wellness programs experienced improvements for a wide range of health indicators across 30 months, according to a new study by the Institute of Health Economics in partnership with Alberta Blue Cross. Equally important, the study found cost savings for benefits plans with a corresponding […]
The vast majority (94 per cent) of employers said they expect an increase in medical services in 2022 due to delayed care during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by Business Group on Health. The survey, which polled 136 large employers that cover more than eight million plan members, asked about changes they […]
With Canada’s public and private drug market an ever-evolving landscape, what value can be gained from collaboration and innovative solutions to ensure patient access to new medicines and vaccines in the future? During Innovative Medicines Canada’s virtual policy summit in June, Declan Hamill, vice-president of policy, regulatory and legal affairs, said the organization appreciates the […]
Canadians’ health priorities are shifting as the coronavirus pandemic drags on, as claims for medications to treat mental-health conditions continued to rise in 2020, along with claims for specialty drugs designed to treat rarer, yet increasingly chronic diseases, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report. There were noticeable shifts in the utilization of mental-health […]
Canadian employees with ongoing health challenges have faced unique challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by RBC Insurance. Among employees with a chronic health condition, 63 per cent said the inability to visit a doctor or clinic during the pandemic negatively impacted their health, compared to 47 per cent of those without […]
Substance use disorder is the largest unmanaged disease in modern health care, but few options exist that allow those affected to continue to work while being treated and that address plan members whose substance use issues aren’t visible in the workplace. “The overwhelming majority of substance use cases is invisible to the eye,” said Elliot […]
Half of Canadians said they’ve increased their use of virtual health care since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by consulting firm Calian Group Ltd. It also found, while 49 per cent of respondents said they intend to continue using virtual care after the pandemic is over and safety precautions […]
The growing use of specialty medications among plan members continued to drive the increase in plan sponsors’ drug plan costs last year, well eclipsing the increase in traditional drug spending, according to Telus Health. Canadian plan sponsors’ drug spending on insured plan members between the ages of 25 and 64 increased 3.6 per cent in […]
While the rates of drug and disability claims are returning to their pre-pandemic levels, employers are still contending with the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their benefits plans. Following the declaration of the pandemic in March 2020, there was a subsequent surge in drug claims attributed to medication stockpiling, said Frédéric Leblanc, strategic advisor […]