A recent survey by Innovative Medicines Canada found there are growing listing delays among Canada’s private drug plans, said Joe Farago, the organization’s executive director of private payers and investment, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in December. The survey noted private payer review times can take […]
Many plan members with diabetes struggle with adherence to daily insulin injections and research has found the majority of patients wish they could achieve the same control over their condition with fewer injections, said Jacob Bonafiglia, medical science liaison with Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., during a panel discussion sponsored by Boehringer-Ingelheim Canada, Merck Canada Inc. […]
More than half (58 per cent) of global insurers say they anticipate higher health benefits costs over the next three years, with the average global cost trend projected to increase by 9.9 per cent in 2024, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 260 insurers representing 66 countries, found […]
The average per-employee cost of U.S. employer-sponsored health benefits has risen by 5.2 per cent in 2023 to reach US$15,797, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 1,900 U.S. employers, found cost increases were highest for employers with 50 to 499 employees (7.8 per cent on average) and these […]
While three-quarters (76 per cent) of U.S. employers say they provide coverage of glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs for diabetes management, about a quarter (27 per cent) provide coverage of these drugs for weight loss, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey, which polled more than 200 U.S. benefits […]
Many plan members are experiencing risk factors related to poor mental, physical and financial well-being, but often don’t know they can turn to their benefits plans for help. Indeed, when Canada Life’s disability claims report asked plan members going on disability whether they sought out counselling through their benefits plans, more than half said they […]
The federal government is appointing members to an implementation advisory group to support the launch of its national strategy for drugs for rare diseases. The members from Canada’s private payer community include: Stephen Frank, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association; Joanne Jung, Canadian pharmacy and clinical practice leader at […]
More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of U.S. employers say they’re focused on managing health-care plan costs, following a projected cost increase of 6.4 per cent in 2024, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 450 U.S. employers, found 63 per cent said they’re focused on enhancing mental-health and […]
“We’re now in a very exciting time where we have treatments with previously unseen capacity to improve the control of type 2 diabetes and help our patients manage weight,” said Dr. Sue Pedersen, a specialist in endocrinology and metabolism from Calgary, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by Eli Lilly Canada in […]
Three-fifths (60 per cent) of benefits plan sponsors say the costs of their health benefits plan increased in the past three years, according to the 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. It found this percentage decreased from 66 per cent when the question was last asked in 2016 and was unchanged from 2015 (60 per cent). […]