drug costs – Benefits Canada.com https://www.benefitscanada.com Canada's most influential pension and benefits publication for decision-makers Mon, 15 Jul 2024 20:34:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 Sounding Board: How employers can mitigate cost of drugs for rare diseases https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/sounding-board-how-employers-can-mitigate-cost-of-drugs-for-rare-diseases/ Mon, 08 Jul 2024 13:00:22 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=157855 The World Health Organization defines a rare disease as having a prevalence of 65 or less per 100,000 individuals. It recognizes some 5,500 rare diseases, the majority being of genetic origin and often life-threatening. Medical research has yielded significant drug development for the treatment of rare diseases, increasing life expectancy and improving quality of life. However, […]

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]]> 2024 Vancouver Benefits Summit: A look at post-pandemic paramedical, drug claims https://www.benefitscanada.com/events/conference-coverage/2024-vancouver-benefits-summit-a-look-at-post-pandemic-paramedical-drug-claims/ Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:58:55 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=157469 There has seen a “huge increase” in mental-health practitioner claims following the coronavirus pandemic, said Sylvana Leclerc, organizational health consultant for integrated health solutions at Sun Life Financial Inc., during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Vancouver Benefits Summit in May. Citing findings from the insurer’s annual Health by Design report, she said in 2022, […]

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]]> Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/top-5-hr-benefits-pension-and-investment-stories-of-the-week-89/ Fri, 05 Jul 2024 13:00:08 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=157820 An article outlining the implications of a single-payer universal pharmacare system was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investmnet stories of the past week: 1. Sounding Board: What plan sponsors should know about pharmacare 2. Meet the 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards judges 3. Mental-health claims by Canadians up […]

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]]> 34% of U.S. employers covering GLP-1s for both diabetes, weight loss: survey https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/34-of-u-s-employers-covering-glp-1s-for-both-diabetes-weight-loss-survey/ Mon, 24 Jun 2024 13:00:37 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=157313 Roughly a third (34 per cent) of employers in the U.S. are providing coverage for glucagon-like peptide-1 medications for both diabetes care and weight-loss management in 2024, up from 26 per cent in 2023, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. However, the survey, which polled more than 270 U.S. employers, found more […]

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]]> Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week https://www.benefitscanada.com/news/bencan/top-5-hr-benefits-pension-and-investment-stories-of-the-week-86/ Fri, 14 Jun 2024 13:00:22 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=156970 An article detailing a stark increase in the use of obesity medications among Canadian employer-sponsored benefits plan members was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Claims for obesity drugs increased 42% in 2023, 92% since 2020: report 2. How […]

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]]> How plan sponsors, insurers should approach Wegovy rollout in Canada https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/how-plan-sponsors-insurers-should-approach-wegovy-rollout-in-canada/ Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:00:04 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=156755 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 […]

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]]> Pharmacare bill passes in House of Commons, heads to Senate https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/pharmacare-bill-passes-in-house-of-commons-heads-to-senate/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 19:00:47 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=156527 The federal government’s pharmacare bill is headed to the Senate after passing third reading in the House of Commons. The bill was the result of careful and lengthy negotiations between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party as a key element of their political pact to prevent an early election. Read: Liberals table bill paving way […]

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]]> Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week https://www.benefitscanada.com/news/bencan/top-5-hr-benefits-pension-and-investment-stories-of-the-week-84/ Fri, 31 May 2024 13:00:20 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=156306 An article on legal challenges filed against the federal government’s hybrid work mandate for public service employees was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Unions representing federal public service workers file legal challenges against hybrid work mandate 2. Expert […]

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]]> Coverage for high-cost, specialty drugs missing from rollout of feds’ pharmacare plan: experts https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/coverage-for-high-cost-specialty-drugs-missing-from-rollout-of-feds-pharmacare-plan-experts/ Wed, 29 May 2024 13:00:53 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=155589 While the concept behind the federal government’s universal pharmacare plan is well intentioned, the program would make a larger impact for employers by focusing on high-cost and specialty drugs, says Pam Martin, vice-president and senior consultant at Baynes & White Inc. In theory, the way that the government is rolling out the program in small […]

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]]> 2024 Group Benefits Providers Report: Leveraging AI to streamline benefits https://www.benefitscanada.com/archives_/benefits-canada-archive/2024-group-benefits-providers-report-leveraging-ai-to-streamline-benefits/ Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:57:54 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=154136 While there’s multiple opportunities for the use of artificial intelligence in the employee benefits space — including making the claims process more efficient and personalizing the plan member experience — one of the biggest advantages of the technology is the ability to streamline administrative tasks, allowing employees to focus on more value-added work in addition […]

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