British Columbia is expanding treatment coverage for chronic hepatitis C to everyone in the province and has added a new drug to the province’s PharmaCare formulary. “In years past, a hepatitis C diagnosis was a stressful and lifelong struggle,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix, in a news release. “I’m pleased to share that, as of today, anyone […]
Green Shield Canada is rolling out a new biosimilar transition program as a pilot project through the first half of 2018, with an aim to extending it to all of its employer clients by the end of the year. The program, which was designed to help plan members transition from an originator drug to a corresponding biosimilar, will initially focus […]
A group of 28 patient advocacy organizations are urging Health Canada to stop its review of drug pricing. The federal government announced changes to drug price regulation in December 2017, setting out proposals through the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board that it estimates will deliver $12.6 billion in net benefits over 10 years through lower drug costs. Read: Feds […]
Counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs are a rising risk to Canadians as they’re appearing in brick-and-mortar pharmacies, rather than just on the street or online, according to a new report by public policy think tank the Fraser Institute. It’s also a growing issue internationally and one that’s attracting the attention of policy-makers. But what does it mean for group benefits plans? Counterfeit […]
Almost one million Canadians cut spending on necessities such as food and heating to afford prescription drugs in 2016, according to a report by researchers at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, McMaster University and the University of Toronto. The report, which used data from Statistics Canada’s 2016 Canadian community health survey, also found 1.69 […]
British Columbia’s plan to eliminate or reduce prescription drug deductibles for low-income earners could also lead to lower drug costs for plan sponsors in the province. While Nick Gubbay, a principal and group benefits consultant at Eckler Ltd. in Vancouver, says the impact is likely to be most material for group plans providing benefits to […]
As the new year gets underway, it’s a busy season for predictions about what’s ahead for 2018. When it comes to employer-sponsored drug plans, costs have been a rising concern in recent years. According to projections released by Aon Hewitt in December, costs for extended health-care plans will likely rise by six per cent in […]
Canadians continue to pay more than most other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries for generic drugs, despite provincial and territorial policies that have greatly reduced prices in recent years, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. The Generics360 report found Canadians spent $165 per capita on generic drugs […]
The Empire Life Insurance Co. is introducing a new drug-only pooling product for plan sponsors. With advancement in medicine and higher-cost drugs on the market, it’s important to provide options to help small- and medium-sized businesses manage their high-cost claim exposure, the company noted in a press release. With that in mind, it’s offering the new $7,500 drug-only option […]
Express Scripts Canada has won a five-year contract to process millions of pharmacy, dental, vision, mental health and medical supplies and equipment claims for Indigenous Canadians. The contract, awarded by Health Canada, includes options for renewal for up to 11 years. Read: Plan members need help with co-ordinating care: report “Express Scripts Canada is extremely pleased to have […]