As the coronavirus pandemic continues, fewer Canadian benefits plan members are making drug claims, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report. The report, based on the drug claims activity of more than 10 million plan members in 2021, found just 56 per cent made a claim in 2021, reflecting a decreased frequency of in-person […]
While medications used for treating inflammatory disease accounted for just 0.7 per cent of claims across Telus Health’s Canadian block of business in 2021, they represent the largest percentage of eligible drug costs at 12.6 per cent, due to the prevalence of high-cost treatments in this drug class. By comparison, diabetes medications accounted for 12 […]
The Federal Trade Commission is launching an inquiry into the operations of pharmacy benefits managers that control access to prescription drugs for millions of Americans. The consumer protection agency will order the nation’s largest PBMs to provide a range of information and records detailing how they do business. Pharmacy benefits managers run prescription drug coverage […]
A British Columbia labour arbitration decision is providing insight on how a block level implementation of a benefits provider’s drug cost-control program violated a collective agreement in a unionized workplace. The Douglas College Faculty Association grieved the implementation of Manulife’s DrugWatch program contravened their collective agreement, which ensured “there will be no change to the […]
The coronavirus pandemic has marked a sea change in how Canadians receive health care. While just four per cent of primary care visits were conducted virtually pre-pandemic, that rose to roughly 60 per cent after the onset of the global health crisis. This represents an opportunity to reshape how health care can be delivered and, in […]
A typical patient’s journey takes plan members from the doctor to the pharmacy for medication and then leaves them on their own. But employees’ lives aren’t static, with factors like age, mental and physical health, stress and activity level having the potential to impact how effectively those medications work, said Frederic Simard, co-founder and chief […]
Does your organization’s benefits plan or financial wellness program deserve recognition? Are you leading the way when it comes to supporting your employees’ mental health? Is your company implementing award-worthy diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives? Benefits Canada’s annual Workplace Benefits Awards is officially open for nominations. Submit your entries here. As in previous years, the 2022 awards will […]
After multiple delays, the amendments to the Patented Medicines Review Board regulations will finally come into force on July 1, 2022. Last week, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced the federal government will proceed with the amendments to provide the PMPRB with new tools to protect Canadians from excessive prices for patented medicines. “This will improve access for […]
Amid plans by the federal government to introduce national dental and pharmacare programs, key stakeholders in the private payer health-care sector should highlight the value of private health plans in Canada, according to a panel during a webinar by the Group Insurance Pharmaceutical Committee last week. In March, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic […]
Changes to Quebec’s policy on the use of biosimilars in its public drug plan could result in savings for private benefits plans, says one expert. On April 13, 2022, the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec will delist certain biologic drugs from its formulary, requiring patients covered by the plan to switch to a biosimilar […]