As technology and heightened customer expectations spur demand for change in life and health benefits, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is aiming to be “proactive and lead the discussion” on significant issues facing the industry, according to its new president and chief executive officer. There are many questions about big data, says Stephen Frank, […]
The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association is urging Quebec to abandon its plan to issue tenders for generic drugs. The provincial government’s plan represents a risky tendering scheme that could have negative repercussions for the pharmaceutical industry by threatening the supply of generic drugs and indirectly harming the economy, according to a statement by association president Jim […]
Quebec’s long-awaited move to ask drug manufacturers to bid for exclusive supply contracts for generic prescription drugs should help private benefit plans, according to an expert on drug pricing. “I expect private plans to benefit [from this move],” says John-Paul Dowson, managing director at Roubaix Strategies Inc. That’s because, according to Dowson, Quebec law prevents selling drugs […]
The Reformulary Group has introduced an early warning system that aims to help plan administrators and employers monitor and prepare for new-high cost drugs. The system evaluates new high-cost prescription drugs entering the marketplace and forecasts the expected impact of those drugs to insurance carriers, third-party administrators and employers. Read: Public drug plans’ medication spending […]
In Canada, about half of prescription drug costs are privately funded. As drug costs rise between eight and 10 per cent each year, governments are feeling the pressure to provide some relief to private payers. Ontario is responding with the introduction of a new program that will provide prescription drug coverage for all Ontarians under […]
A year ago, the Association of Ontario Midwives Benefits Trust received its highest drug claim ever at $55,000 for a 12-week treatment of Harvoni, which treats hepatitis C. The plan deliberated whether it would fund the drug but it ultimately decided not to. “It was a very difficult decision,” says Nicole Mellin, executive director at […]
The number of high-cost drugs and patients with multiple chronic conditions continues to rise, according to Express Scripts Canada’s drug trend report for 2016. While some plan sponsors have addressed increasing costs with measures such as generic pricing or limiting access to some drugs, the report suggested they should focus on providing certain plan members […]
As Benefits Canada reported last week, the Ontario government announced in its 2017 budget that it will begin offering universal pharmacare to youth under the age of 25. The program will take effect on January 1, 2018, and will cover the 4,400 medications in the Ontario drug benefit formulary. “By eliminating financial barriers to prescribed drugs, […]
Ontario is introducing a pharmacare program for all residents aged 24 and under, Finance Minister Charles Sousa announced Thursday as he tabled the province’s 2017 budget. The new program will launch on Jan. 1, 2018, and will offer universal drug coverage for all medicines listed in the Ontario drug benefit formulary. There will be no copayment […]
If Canadian pharmacists played a larger role in dispensing flu shots, reviewing cardiovascular disease medication and providing help with smoking cessation, the health-care system could save between $2.5 billion and $25.7 billion over the next 20 years, according to a study from the Conference Board of Canada. Co-sponsored by the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the Canadian Alliance […]