Pharmacare – Benefits Canada.com

Federal parties making mental-health services promises on campaign trail

bwolfe — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:00:37 +0000

If elected, the Conservative Party is promising it will encourage employers to add mental-health coverage to their benefits plans by offering a tax credit for 25 per cent of the cost of this additional coverage for the first three years. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party is promising Canadians increased access to free mental-health services through a new […]

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NDP promising universal pharmacare, Conservatives looking to double EI sickness benefits

mdunne — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 19:00:11 +0000

If elected, New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh is pledging to begin working with provinces immediately to deliver a single-payer, public pharmacare program for all Canadians. The NDP say millions of people can’t afford to take the medications they need and must skip doses, cut their pills in half or even go without them. “We […]

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Canadian Pharmacists Association calling for blend of private, public pharmacare plans

mdunne — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:00:59 +0000

The Canadian Pharmacists Association is calling for a universal national pharmacare plan that blends public and private plans, according to a press release. The call is part of the professional association’s 2021 federal election priorities for all parties and candidates. Canadians go to the polls on Sept. 21 amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has put […]

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Possible national pharmacare program has pros, cons for employers: experts

bwolfe — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:00:51 +0000

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 […]

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Head to head: Should private drug plans require biosimilar non-medical switching?

mdunne — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 12:59:32 +0000

While one side highlights how plan sponsors can contribute to biosimilar sustainability, the other touts the benefits to patients and the health-care system. Durhane Wong-Rieger, president and chief executive officer, Institute for Optimizing Health Outcomes The Institute for Optimizing Health Outcomes recently published a scorecard rating the biosimilar policy frameworks of European countries across seven […]

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Sounding Board: Collaboration, innovation key to sustainable Canadian private health insurance sector

Jennifer Paterson — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:00:42 +0000

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 […]

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Expert panel: A look at retiree benefits and the current health-care system

mdunne — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 13:00:31 +0000

Many employees may be dreaming of a carefree retirement following many years in the trenches — but they’ll likely have to keep dreaming if they don’t have first-rate, post-retirement health and dental insurance coverage. Many employers provide supplemental health insurance (drug, dental, extended health and out-of-country medical) as part of comprehensive packages of employee benefits, […]

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Pharmacare should include high-cost treatment strategy, flexibility for plan sponsors: consultant

bwolfe — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 13:00:27 +0000

While a national pharmacare program is yet to be revealed by the federal government, any future plan should contain provisions for all costly treatments and not just rare diseases, says Jennifer Schmidt, a principal at Mercer Canada. Read: Federal budget highlights national childcare system, extension of pandemic subsidies This week’s federal budget announcement contained only […]

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Opposition leaders criticizing Liberals over pharmacare, old-age security and childcare

bwolfe — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:00:40 +0000

Federal opposition leaders are criticizing the Liberal government’s first budget in two years for omitting pharmacare, while suggesting alternatives to a proposed $30-billion national childcare system. Debate began in the House of Commons Tuesday with leaders pushing to shape the economic blueprint more to their liking. Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he knows where […]

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Federal budget highlights national childcare system, extension of pandemic subsidies

bwolfe — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:00:19 +0000

In its 2021 budget on Monday, the federal government said it’s proposing nearly $30 billion over the next five years towards a national community-based childcare system. The budget stated that starting in 2021/2022, an investment of up to $27.2 billion over five years will bring the federal government to a 50/50 share of childcare costs […]

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