Unlike most employers in Canada, plan sponsors that offer prescription drug benefits in Quebec have no choice but to pay for pharmacy services. Last summer, Quebec’s public drug plan announced coverage for several new pharmacy services. With provincial legislation requiring private plan sponsors to cover them as well, employers face new obligations and may not […]
Considering switching consultants? Make sure you understand the process.
With a stream of new biologics coming to market, a wide variety of programs and services are available to support patients taking these high-cost specialty drugs. A panel discussion moderated by Michael McClenahan, CEO of Benefits by Design, explored the pros and cons of these new programs and their impact on private drug plans.
David Willows, vice-president, strategic market solutions, with Green Shield Canada (GSC), shared findings from GSC’s 2014 health study. As he explained, this was the first time the annual study went beyond just drugs to create a bigger picture of employer-sponsored health benefits consumption in Canada. Drawing on a database containing millions of health claims, the study breaks down the volume and cost of claims for drug and paramedical health benefits consumed by Canadians in age bands ranging from birth to retirement.
Year after year, the drug plan industry studies trends in utilization and costs with an eye on what’s coming next.
Today’s retirees are in a good place, but pre-retirees aren’t getting the help they need
Personalized medicine is coming to 22 B.C. pharmacies selected from across the province to participate in the first-of-its-kind study, Genomics for Precision Drug Therapy in the Community Pharmacy.
A successful employee wellness strategy is based on an organization’s unique corporate culture and the specific needs of the workforce.
With about 400,000 Canadians expected to retire each year over the next 17 years, sponsors of DC pension plans should be considering their role in the decumulation phase of retirement savings.
With mental health issues a leading cause of disability these days, employers need to understand the legal implications and risks if they don’t handle such cases well. Julia Kaisla, director of community engagement for the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC division, and Julie Menten, an associate at Roper Greyell LLP, a Vancouver law firm specializing […]