Breakfast

Panel: 2025 Drug Plan Opinion Survey

Benefits Canada’s Drug Plan Opinion Survey is a new research project that examines plan advisor and plan sponsor perceptions of drug plan design, management and related industry issues. In a panel discussion, industry experts will delve into the results of this inaugural survey, share their opinions on what the findings mean for drug benefits plans and draw conclusions.

Panellists:
Frédéric Leblanc, strategic leader, drug programs, group benefits and retirement solutions, iA Financial Group

Domenico Morrone, senior manager, benefits, 123Dentist

Anu Sharda, senior director, strategic payor partnerships and growth, Shoppers Drug Mart

Elena Shiganova, senior manager, total rewards, City of Mississauga

Improving access: Preserving private drug coverage in the face of national pharmacare

Canada’s private drug plans have long been a cornerstone of its dual market system, but as the public system strengthens its role through policy and legislation, the rationale for a dual model is threatened. This session will explore what’s at stake for patients, plan sponsors and the health-care system if private coverage loses its edge. It will provide insight on why urgent action is needed and provide actionable takeaways to preserve the unique value of the private market.

Speaker:
Joe Farago, executive director, private payers and investment, interim vice-president, government and stakeholder relations, Innovative Medicines Canada

Networking break

Disease and drug trends: A spotlight on chronic skin conditions

This session will equip plan sponsors with practical strategies to optimize drug coverage for chronic skin conditions. Key session highlights will include: leveraging data to guide plan design; exploring emerging treatments and updated clinical guidelines; and managing rising biologic costs, biosimilars and other cost-saving tools. The session will also address how to monitor patient outcomes during the first year of treatment and prepare for the financial impact of new and emerging drugs.

Speaker:
Frances Lehun, pharmacist, pharmaceutical expertise, high-cost drug management, Beneva 

Beyond weight management

This session will explain how a single type of drug therapy can have different indications and treatments. It will use metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepititis — a progressive liver disease — as an example. The presentation will dig into the implications of expanded usage of the drug therapy with drug plan design considerations at the forefront.

Speaker:
Suzanne Lepage, private health plan strategist, Suzanne Lepage Consulting Inc.

This session has been made possible by Novo Nordisk Canada.

Lunch

Pharmacy benefit managers in Canada: Evolution, insights and strategic considerations
This session will provide an in-depth understanding of pharmacy benefit managers and their evolving role within the Canadian landscape. It will examine the operational model of PBMs from end to end, review current cost drivers and outline the strategic opportunities they present to plan sponsors and insurers. This session will also consider the broader policy horizon and the implications for stakeholders.

Speaker:
Akhil Pandit Pautra, senior manager, clinical services, health claims administration and fraud, waste and abuse, Express Scripts Canada

Time to roll up our sleeves: Vaccine Coverage Report Card 2025

This session will explore the critical role plan sponsors and insurers play in protecting plan members from vaccine-preventable diseases — and why timely action is more important than ever. Building on the progress highlighted since the inaugural Mapol Private Drug Plan Leadership: Vaccine Coverage Report Card in 2023, it will examine how coverage policies have evolved, recognize insurers that have taken steps to make vaccines a “standard inclusion” and will identify administrative hurdles that persist in benefits contracts. It will also present practical strategies to reduce vaccine hesitancy among members and their dependants and demonstrate how collective action can drive better health outcomes for all Canadians.

Speaker:
Johnny Ma, president, Mapol Inc.

This session has been made possible by GSK, Merck and Pfizer Canada.

Networking break

Crowded drug classes: Challenge or opportunity?

Many therapeutic areas now have multiple treatment options. But are these simply “me too” drugs, or do they bring meaningful value to patients and plans? Using migraine therapies as a case study, this session will explore how a crowded market can create opportunities to enhance outcomes and benefit private health plans.

Speaker:
Dr. Elizabeth Leroux, faculty lecturer, McGill University

This session has been made possible by Lundbeck

Championing cancer care in the workplace: A patient advocate’s perspective on how private insurers can drive value and expand drug access for working Canadians

This session will focus on how advancements in treatment can improve the lives of working Canadians diagnosed with cancer. As cancer increasingly affects younger employees, patients face challenges of unequal access to diagnosis and treatment, delays in testing and therapies and the emotional and financial impact these issues create. This session will discuss how private insurers can help close these gaps and explore solutions to ensure timely, equitable access to cancer care for patients in the workforce.

Speaker:
Jocelyn Laidlaw, former anchor, CTV News

This session has been made possible by AstraZeneca Canada.

Closing remarks