On May 22, the 2019 Calgary Benefits Summit focused on how employers can make their organization its healthiest by starting with their benefits plans. Here’s what you missed! How a Blue Zone concept can benefit the workplace What can a small Alberta town of 70,000 people do when the provincial government’s response to, “We need […]
If the Canadian government wants to tackle drug coverage, it should focus on the areas where Canadians are facing genuine gaps, according to Joe Farago, executive director of health-care innovation at Innovative Medicines Canada. “The reality is only 1.8 per cent of Canadians have no form of private or public drug coverage,” said Farago, speaking at Benefits […]
Medavie Blue Cross is appointing Shane Reid as director of product, pharmacy and provider management. In the new role, Reid will be responsible for leading the development of products for the insurer’s group and individual business, as well as strengthening its position in group benefits and drug plan management. He brings extensive experience in group benefits, […]
Between 2000 and 2015, antidepressant drug consumption doubled in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. This is potentially a reflection of people’s growing willingness to admit they need help, the availability of therapies and general attitudes around mental-health issues. However, the consumption varies between countries, with Canada one of the top consumers. Nancy Tibbo, […]
Drug plan design changes are often unavoidable, whether they’re due to a carrier modifying contracts across the board or an employer looking to manage ballooning costs. Generally, “plan sponsors are looking at programs like more managed formularies and, potentially, maximums,” says Suzanne Lepage, a private health plan strategist in Kitchener, Ont. “Changes driven at the […]
Manulife is launching a preventative opioid management program, extending its Vitality program to group benefits plans and partnering with digital health company Akira Health. The opioid management program features a two-step system. The first ensures plan members who start opioid treatment do so with a short-term supply, while the second encourages using short-acting opioids at the outset. […]
Specialty medications and high-cost drugs for common conditions are driving up private plan drug spending, according to Express Scripts Canada’s annual drug trends report. The report found the rapid increases in drug spending for private plans over the last 20 years have started to slow. The average annual drug spending per plan member was up just 0.9 per cent […]
Canadian insurers expect health costs to rise by 11.55 per cent this year, according to a new report by Accompass Inc. The annual survey determines the anticipated year-over-year cost increase or decrease — or health trend factor — by asking insurers to examine their businesses and take various factors into account, including legislation and reforms, economic events […]
Health Canada has proposed amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations that would make it easier for drug companies to get authorization to produce generic versions of brand name drugs. The amendments would allow Health Canada to more quickly to approve generic drug applications that have the same active ingredients as their brand name equivalent […]
While some say a single-payer system would mean reduced drug prices and expenditures, others argue it could have unintended consequences, particularly for private plan sponsors. Marc-André Gagnon, associate professor at Carleton University’s school of public policy and administration: Canada’s drug coverage is a patchwork without coherence or purpose. Some think more patches can solve the […]