Drug plans – Benefits Canada.com

How is the pandemic, policy issues impacting group benefits and pharmaceutical industries?

Jennifer Paterson — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:00:25 +0000

The proposed amendments to the patented medicines regulations by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board could have a big impact on both the group insurance and pharmaceutical industry. “The CLHIA is very supportive of PMPRB adjustments that may be coming,” said Joan Weir, director of health and disability policy at the Canadian Life and Health […]

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Employees want more comprehensive benefits coverage: survey

lbailey — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 14:05:37 +0000

Canadian employees want more comprehensive coverage under their benefits plans, according to a survey by the Conference Board of Canada and Telus Health. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 Canadian workers, found a majority (82 per cent) of respondents want basic dental services (such as preventative and minor restorative) covered by their benefits plans, […]

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Prescription drug costs in public plans hit $12.5BN in 2019/20: report

lbailey — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 14:00:34 +0000

Prescription drug costs for public drug plans rose to $12.5 billion in 2019/20, a 3.7 per cent rise in spending since 2017/18, driven primarily by increases in the use of higher-cost drugs, according to a report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. The report, which reviewed data from the National Prescription Drug Utilization Information […]

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Critics calling for further delay of new drug pricing regulations

mdunne — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 13:00:09 +0000

Critics of a major drug price overhaul hope a fresh federal cabinet will put a temporary stop to the new regulations set to take effect in January. The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board is set to change the way it sets a price cap on medicines in Canada in an effort to lower excessively expensive drug costs. […]

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What health benefits top wish list for Canadian plan members, sponsors?

lbailey — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 13:00:52 +0000

Plan sponsors and plan members have diverging opinions on where benefits dollars are best spent, according to the 2021 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The survey found that plan sponsors and members are less aligned on the value of many benefits than they were a year ago. Indeed, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year, […]

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Pandemic shifting benefits plan challenges for sponsors, members: Benefits Canada survey

Jennifer Paterson — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 13:00:20 +0000

Canadian health benefits plan members’ top stressors have shifted to reflect the new work environments created by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the 2021 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The survey, formerly known as the Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey, found that 35 per cent of plan members described their stress level at the beginning of 2021 […]

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Survey finds cost of employer benefits in Canada set to rise 7% in 2022

mdunne — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 13:00:40 +0000

Employer-provided medical benefits costs in Canada will rise seven per cent in 2022, according to a new survey by Aon. The annual global medical trend rates survey found the expected increase for Canadian employer-sponsored medical plan costs is due to a combination of higher costs for dental care, paramedical expenses and prescription drugs. It was conducted […]

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Health benefits claims paid out to support mental health rose 24% in 2020: CLHIA

Jennifer Paterson — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 13:00:53 +0000

Canadian insurers paid out more than $97 billion in benefits from life and health insurance products in 2020, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s annual fact book. The period, which included the first nine months of the coronavirus pandemic, included $420 million paid out for psychology-related claims to support mental health, up 24 […]

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Employers beefing up mental-health benefits amid pandemic: survey

lbailey — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 13:00:19 +0000

A majority (88 per cent) of organizations across the globe believe their workers are more stressed now than they were two years ago, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Employers said a majority (92 per cent) of their overall employee population is now somewhat or very stressed. And […]

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Ontario court certifying Uber class action over employee classification

mdunne — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 19:00:05 +0000

Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice has certified a class-action lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc., which advances a fight to get some of the platform’s Canadian couriers and drivers recognized as employees. The class action was certified by Judge Justin Paul Perell in a decision released late Thursday afternoon and stems from a court filing made […]

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