Kelsey Rolfe

What employers need to know about pulmonary arterial hypertension

Employees with pulmonary arterial hypertension can experience significant impacts to their quality of life and workplace experience, said John Granton, a respirologist with the University Health Network in Toronto, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Chronic Disease at Work conference in February. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a very rare condition, affecting less than 10,000 Canadians. It’s […]

  • March 11, 2024 March 5, 2024
  • 07:57

How plan sponsors can support employees with inflammatory bowel disease

With the increased availability of treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, patients can achieve longer periods of remission, said Vipul Jairath, a gastroenterologist at the London Health Sciences Centre and professor of medicine at Western University, during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Chronic Disease at Work conference in February. IBD involves an underlying pathological process that creates inflammation […]

  • March 11, 2024 March 5, 2024
  • 07:56

2023 Defined Benefit Investment Forum: Managing liquidity through listed assets

After the simultaneous sell-off of both equities and bonds in the first half of 2022, many defined benefit pension plan sponsors were forced to “pay much more attention to the liquidity profiles of their portfolios” and manage risk by implementing a temporary policy reprieve, halting new investment activity or selling assets in the secondary market, […]

  • January 24, 2024 January 22, 2024
  • 07:56

2023 Defined Benefit Investment Forum: The value of active management in emerging markets

With historic perceptions of emerging markets and equities no longer matching reality, institutional investors have the opportunity to scoop up good companies at low valuations, said Kamil Dimmich, portfolio manager for the emerging markets equity strategy at Pacific North of South Capital, during the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Defined Benefit Investment Forum in December. While he […]

  • January 24, 2024 January 19, 2024
  • 07:55

How preferred pharmacy networks can lower drug plan costs, boost access to care

Pharmacists are now uniquely positioned to support Canadians at a time when the public health-care system is stretched thin, creating significant barriers for people looking to access care, said Dr. Jennifer Poh, senior director of drug plan solutions at Health Solutions by Shoppers, during Benefits Canada’s 2023 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in […]

  • January 22, 2024 January 31, 2024
  • 07:58

How plan sponsors can improve employee health outcomes while optimizing drug plan spend

With chronic conditions growing in prevalence among plan members, plan sponsors have their work cut out for them in designing benefits plans that provide adequate health support and employee satisfaction while also being cost effective, said Marie-Hélène Dugal, manager of pharmacy benefit strategy for Medavie Blue Cross, during Benefits Canada’s 2023 Face to Face Drug […]

  • January 22, 2024 January 18, 2024
  • 07:56

Examining the link between cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity

While medications for three interconnected chronic conditions — cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity — represent a growing proportion of employers’ drug spend, there’s plenty that can be done to help employees’ slow the progression of these conditions while managing drug plan costs, said Joyce Wong, director of clinical services at Express Scripts Canada, during Benefits […]

  • January 22, 2024 January 18, 2024
  • 07:55

How plan sponsors can use biosimilars to support employee health, reduce drug costs

Despite the safety and efficacy of biosimilars — and the potential cost savings they offer — uptake among private payers has been low historically and is only starting to gain steam, said Neda Nasseri, pharmacist and private payer product director at Desjardins Insurance, during Benefits Canada’s 2023 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in December. The insurer first developed […]

  • January 22, 2024 January 22, 2024
  • 07:54

2023 Mental Health Summit: How plan sponsors can help address the gender health gap

Canadian women are bearing the brunt of a gender health gap that has led to poor understanding and heightened stigma around their unique health needs and worse physical and mental-health outcomes over time. However, there are ways for employers to help, said Sam Mikail, director of mental-health solutions for group claims at Sun Life Financial Inc., […]

  • November 29, 2023 November 24, 2023
  • 07:58

2023 Mental Health Summit: Integrated disability management programs can shorten leave duration

In the face of soaring mental health-related disability leaves and broader challenges with access to mental-health care, integrated disability management programs that include early intervention, accommodations and return-to-work supports can help shorten leave durations.  “Having an effective disability management program not only prevents and mitigates the impact of disability leaves on an organization, but it […]

  • November 29, 2023 November 24, 2023
  • 07:57