drug plan management – Benefits Canada.com https://www.benefitscanada.com Canada's most influential pension and benefits publication for decision-makers Fri, 22 Nov 2024 22:16:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 How benefits plan sponsors, insurers are managing newer — and effective — GLP-1 medications https://www.benefitscanada.com/archives_/benefits-canada-archive/how-benefits-plan-sponsors-insurers-are-managing-newer-and-effective-glp-1-medications/ Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:55:00 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=162339 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, […]

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]]> Senate passes pharmacare legislation without amendments https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/senate-passes-pharmacare-legislation-without-amendments/ Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=161291 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on provinces and territories to start negotiating pharmacare deals as soon as possible, now that the federal legislation to enact the program has become law. “This is real progress, but now we need the provinces and territories to come to the table and sign agreements with us that supports […]

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]]> Ontario reviewing impact of preferred pharmacy networks on plan members’ costs, accessibility https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/ontario-reviewing-impact-of-preferred-pharmacy-networks-on-plan-members-costs-accessibility/ Fri, 06 Sep 2024 13:00:42 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=159763 Ontario’s Ministry of Health is consulting on the role of preferred pharmacy networks in the province’s employer-sponsored drug insurance sector to determine how these agreements impact plan members’ costs, choice, accessibility and access to medicine and quality of care. In its draft consultation paper, the ministry said a common concern among consumers is when PPNs are closed and […]

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]]> U.S. employers projecting health benefits cost increase of 8% for 2025: survey https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-benefits/u-s-employers-projecting-health-benefits-cost-increase-of-8-for-2025-survey/ Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:00:24 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=159445 U.S. employers are projecting health benefits costs to increase by eight per cent for 2025, up from seven per cent in 2023, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. It found employers cited several factors in rising costs, including catastrophic claims (20 per cent, up from 19 per cent […]

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]]> 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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]]> 2024 Vancouver Benefits Summit: What should plan sponsors know about covering obesity drugs? https://www.benefitscanada.com/events/conference-coverage/2024-vancouver-benefits-summit-what-should-plan-sponsors-know-about-covering-obesity-drugs/ Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:57:39 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=157474 With obesity now understood to be a chronic health condition, it’s time for plan sponsors to revisit their approach to weight loss medications, said Philippe Laplante, principal for pension and benefits at Eckler Ltd., during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Vancouver Benefits Summit in May. The conversation about extending coverage to new, high-cost anti-obesity […]

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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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]]> 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-88/ Fri, 28 Jun 2024 13:00:38 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=157562 An article on the benefits of tailoring an individual’s work schedule around their circadian rhythm and optimum times of productivity was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. How ‘Chronoworking’ is helping boost employee productivity, recruitment 2. FSRA releases final […]

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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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