The Great-West Life Assurance Co. is covering continuous glucose monitoring devices for eligible plan members beginning Aug. 1, 2018. The devices include a reader, wearable sensors and a transmitter that sends measurements of glucose levels to a smart device every five minutes. Measuring by day and at night, the device helps avoid glucose spikes and drops […]
Rising survival rates are making cancer one of Canada’s fastest-growing chronic diseases. Dina Linardos, the nursing director at CAREpath Inc., explained to attendees at the Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that cancer retains a certain image in public consciousness that has varied little over the last 30 or 40 years. “Most people don’t […]
A positive attitude is the key to a long and fulfilling life with chronic disease, according to a man who has spent almost four decades dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. “The mental approach you take to anything in life and the perspective you have is absolutely critical,” said Jeff Aarssen, who provided a patient’s perspective during […]
Employers and insurers could reduce their pharmaceutical spending by embracing medical cannabis, according to the chief medical officer for a licensed producer of the drug. Dr. Peter Blecher, a pain medicine specialist who works for Starseed Medicinal Inc., told attendees at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that cannabis holds a great deal of promise […]
Tiny habits have a huge role to play in the management of Type 2 diabetes, according to a researcher in the field. Diana Sherifali, an associate faculty member of McMaster University’s school of nursing, told the audience at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that much of her work in combating Canada’s diabetes epidemic focuses […]
Workplace accommodations and new targeted medications promise to transform the experience of migraine sufferers after decades of neglect, a speaker told participants at a recent event. Dr. Christine Lay, head of the neurology division at Women’s College Hospital, told an audience at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that the condition has largely flown under […]
While chronic disease is a persistent problem in the workplace, employers are missing key data illustrating how employees’ conditions are affecting their work, according to the 2018 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. However, the data around chronic disease is complex, noted one of the survey’s advisory board members. During the launch event for the survey in Toronto on Wednesday, […]
Health-care costs are projected to increase a whopping 130 per cent over the next eight years after a period of relatively flat growth, according to a study published by Mercer in 2017. One of the key drivers is rising drug costs, with expensive specialty medications and gene therapies making up the majority of new products in development. So […]
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 […]
The Ontario government may be spending more than it needs to on generic drugs, according to the auditor general’s latest annual report. Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk tabled her 2017 annual report on Wednesday, which found the province doesn’t know whether it’s making any progress in fighting preventable chronic disease. It found total spending by Ontario’s public […]