Pooled funds – Benefits Canada.com

Capping drug coverage for rare diseases poses an ethical dilemma

mschmit — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 04:50:26 +0000

While high-cost specialty medications represent about 30 per cent of drug costs, the total budget impact of rare disease drugs is less than two per cent, said Brad McCaw, associate director of market access at Alexion Pharmaceuticals Canada. Within the high-cost specialty market’s top 20 drugs, only one is designated for rare disease, he said […]

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Pooled pension fund managers see modest gains for Q3 2019

mschmit — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 04:45:10 +0000

Diversified pooled fund managers posted a median 1.5 per cent return before fees for the third quarter of 2019, according to Morneau Shepell Ltd.’s latest pension universe. The 1.5 per cent return represented a 0.3 per cent underperformance of its benchmark portfolio, which uses a 55 per cent equities and 45 per cent fixed income split. The […]

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Pooled pension fund managers rebound in 2019

mschmit — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 05:51:12 +0000

Pooled pension fund managers bounced back in the first quarter of 2019, posting a median return before management fees of 8.3 per cent, up from the negative 5.6 per cent return they posted in the final quarter of 2018, according to Morneau Shepell Ltd.’s latest data. However, the firm’s pension performance universe came in 0.4 per […]

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Industry praises budget proposals to allow variable annuities for CAP members

mschmit — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 05:50:28 +0000

Multiple stakeholder groups are praising the 2019 federal budget’s proposal to amend tax rules to allow for late-life and variable annuity structures. The proposed advanced life deferred annuity would be a qualifying annuity purchase under registered retirement savings plans, registered retirement income funds, including trusts run by these accounts, as well as defined contribution pension […]

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Pooled fund pension managers post negative return for Q4 2018

mschmit — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 12:15:08 +0000

The final quarter of 2018 was choppy for pension managers’ pooled funds as they posted a median return of negative 5.6 per cent, contributing to the year’s overall median return of negative 2.7 per cent, according to Morneau Shepell Ltd.’s pension performance universe. “The bond market posted a positive return of 1.4 per cent for 2018,” said Jean […]

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A look at international risk pooling

mschmit — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 04:45:32 +0000

With SSQ Life Insurance Co. Inc.’s partnership with Allianz Global Benefits last month, the Canadian insurer is looking to provide its employer clients with the advantages of international risk pooling. Though the concept is more familiar in countries where multinational companies are headquartered, international risk pooling is a way to provide health and insurance benefits using […]

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Pooled funds see negative returns for first quarter of 2018

mschmit — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 06:14:43 +0000

For the first quarter of 2018, diversified pooled fund managers saw a median return of minus 0.7 per cent before management fees, according to new data from Morneau Shepell Ltd. The report showed that while returns were negative, a decrease in pension liabilities overall outweighed the poor performance of pooled funds, resulting in a modest improvement […]

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Empire Life adds new drug-only pooling product

mschmit — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 12:00:49 +0000

The Empire Life Insurance Co. is introducing a new drug-only pooling product for plan sponsors. With advancement in medicine and higher-cost drugs on the market, it’s important to provide options to help small- and medium-sized businesses manage their high-cost claim exposure, the company noted in a press release. With that in mind, it’s offering the new $7,500 drug-only option […]

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Strong growth, equities help pooled funds deliver 8.6% in 2017

mschmit — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 06:22:34 +0000

Strong growth and equity markets have helped to boost the performance of pooled fund managers to a median return of 8.6 per cent before management fees in 2017, according to a new report from Morneau Shepell Ltd. The results reflect about 324 pooled funds from almost 50 investment management firms with a combined market value of […]

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Pension solvency liabilities rise amid low interest rates, returns: report

mschmit — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 12:15:16 +0000

Diversified pooled pension fund managers posted a median return of 0.7 per cent before management fees for the second quarter of 2017 and a median year-to-date return of 3.6 per cent, according to a new report by Morneau Shepell Ltd. The quarterly report, which covers about 324 pooled funds that have a market value of […]

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