A story looking at demand from employees for more comprehensive benefits offerings took the top spot over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Employees want more comprehensive benefits coverage: survey 2. Citigroup supporting employee wellness as return-to-office plans take shape 3. Manulife employee adopts 2 children with help from […]
As innovative medicines become more widely covered in workplace drug plans, employers are tasked with finding new ways to control costs while ensuring members receive the best value. “Obviously, this is good because such offers provide more treatments for employees and their families that can help get them back to the workplace sooner rather than […]
Discussion around implementing a national universal pharmacare strategy is growing louder ahead of next month’s federal election. In its 2019 budget, the federal government said it would work with partners to move forward on a national pharmacare program, including the creation of a new national drug agency and formulary, as well as a national strategy for […]
With Canada’s public and private drug market an ever-evolving landscape, what value can be gained from collaboration and innovative solutions to ensure patient access to new medicines and vaccines in the future? During Innovative Medicines Canada’s virtual policy summit in June, Declan Hamill, vice-president of policy, regulatory and legal affairs, said the organization appreciates the […]
The growing use of specialty medications among plan members continued to drive the increase in plan sponsors’ drug plan costs last year, well eclipsing the increase in traditional drug spending, according to Telus Health. Canadian plan sponsors’ drug spending on insured plan members between the ages of 25 and 64 increased 3.6 per cent in […]
While the rates of drug and disability claims are returning to their pre-pandemic levels, employers are still contending with the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their benefits plans. Following the declaration of the pandemic in March 2020, there was a subsequent surge in drug claims attributed to medication stockpiling, said Frédéric Leblanc, strategic advisor […]
On April 15, Benefits Canada hosted 2021 Tech Insights: Spring Edition, an event designed to showcase the latest technology in benefits, administration and plan member offerings. This event specifically provides a forum for companies to sell you on the benefits of their technology. You can view the conference highlights below: The benefits of digital pharmacy for plan […]
Last February, Carolyne Eagan’s mother was suddenly stricken with an excruciatingly painful condition called trigeminal neuralgia, which prevented her from eating, talking or drinking without triggering a flare of pain in her head. Eagan gathered up her mom’s medications and got into the ambulance with her, feeling increasingly distressed as she wasn’t able to answer […]
“What if I told you at least one in four members of your benefits plan has an unresolved health risk?” asked Radpay, the president of HumanisRx, during Benefits Canada‘s 2021 Tech Insights: Spring Edition conference. In a study in partnership with Munich Re, HumanisRx reviewed the insurer’s claims history experience for 85,000 plan members and […]
The New Brunswick government is expanding the use of biosimilars for certain chronic conditions in its public drug plans. Approximately 3,000 beneficiaries of the province’s drug plans who are living with diseases such as inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and psoriasis will have until Nov. 30 to switch from a biologic to the biosimilar […]