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 […]
While the overall private drug plan spend per member increased by 4.3 per cent in 2021, fewer plan members submitted claims and the per-claimant cost grew, according to Express Scripts Canada’s latest prescription drug trends report. Specifically, the percentage of plan members that made a claim decreased by 0.3 per cent last year while spend […]
With two of Ontario’s government parties promising to develop portable benefits plans, it’s important to remember that plan sponsors need the freedom to design and price their benefits packages, as well as stability in terms of government processes, says one expert. “Plan sponsors are already delivering programs to a large proportion of the workforce and […]
Telus Health is acquiring digital health platform Sprout Wellness Solutions. Sprout is designed to inspire employees to improve their health through behaviour change, according to a press release, which noted Sprout will be integrated with Telus Health’s virtual care service. Read: Telus Health acquires health division of Toronto-based software company “We know preventative health practices can […]
The Ontario Liberals’ election promise of portable drug, dental and mental-health services was the most read article over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Ontario Liberals promising portable drug, dental and mental-health services 2. Employees rank remote work, salary as top elements of benefits packages: survey 3. Employers pausing […]
Canadian employers looking to redesign their benefits plans are in a holding pattern until they hear more details on the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party’s joint proposed national dental-care and pharmacare programs. Last week, the two parties announced plans to form an alliance until 2025 in order to deliver these programs […]
More than two-thirds (71 per cent) of small- and mid-sized U.S. employers said offering more employee benefits helps improve retention, while 70 per cent said benefits help with recruitment efforts, according to a new survey by Principal Financial Services Inc. The survey, which polled more than 1,000 employers, found two-thirds (67 per cent) said employee […]
While 78 per cent of U.S. employees are reporting increased stress levels and feelings of burnout, only 40 per cent said their employer offers mental-health benefits or resources, compared to 53 per cent in 2021, 46 per cent in 2020 and 45 per cent in 2019, according to a new survey by Employ Inc. The […]
In Canada, the year-over-year cost increase for claims under a medical plan on a per-person basis is projected to reach 8.6 per cent this year, up from eight per cent in 2021, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The report, which analyzed responses from 210 insurers across 59 countries, found the year-over-year cost […]
Remote work is considered the second most important element to compensation and benefits packages, ranked only behind salary, according to a new survey by job search site FlexJobs. The survey, which polled more than 1,200 employees, found 77 per cent cited remote work options, compared to 83 per cent of respondents who cited salary. More […]