Plan sponsors with operations in Quebec expecting savings on generic drug prices are in for a rude awakening, according to Aon Consulting. The recent decision…
Courtesy of Canadian Healthcare Network Despite promises from Ontario’s Health Minister Deb Matthews that generic drug prices will fall as a result of the province’s…
Not surprisingly, the topic of drug plan reform trumped the Solutions in Drug Plan Management held on June 3, 2010, at the Delta Meadowvale Resort…
A Mercer communiqué outlines the latest developments in British Columbia’s efforts to rein in the cost of generic drugs. Its message for plan sponsors with…
The perceived value of health benefit plans amongst employees has increased as a result of recent economic volatility and higher unemployment, according to the 2010…
Quebec Minister of Health and Social Services Yves Bolduc announced on July 13 the passage of legislation that provides universal coverage for treatments related to…
Two recent webcasts on generic drug costs approach the issue from different perspectives but come to the same conclusion. Cost savings are there for the…
British Columbia is moving to slash the price of generic drugs, but in a way that avoids the nasty spat with big pharmacy witnessed in…
The changes in Ontario’s drug system that came into effect July 1 have provided employers with an opportunity to revisit their drug plans and consider…
Mike Sullivan – President, Cubic Health Inc. In 2003, Sullivan co-founded Cubic Health, an analytics, benefits plan intelligence and drug plan management company that assists…
Those of us working within the employee benefits field will undoubtedly remember 2010 as a year that ushered in significant drug reforms and made employee…
In spite of provincial efforts at containing the price of pharmaceuticals, overall healthcare costs for Canadian employer plans are expected to rise 15% in 2010—the…
More public and private dollars are being spent to purchase pharmaceuticals for Canadians each and every year. At a time when flattening the healthcare cost…
Despite a delay in announcing the final regulations to its Drug System Reform changes, the Ontario government barely moved an inch earlier this month. While…
Employers have long struggled with the impact of rising drug plan costs. But on April 7, 2010, Ontario’s Health and Long-Term Care Minister, Deb Matthews,…
Government intervention in prescription drug markets in Canada produces no overall cost-savings for consumers, compared to relatively more free market-based policy approaches in the United…
History has taught us that health policy decisions are not only emotional, but very political. Changes to public policy are frequently made in response to…
The H1N1 flu has been by far the biggest health story of the past few years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), H1N1 was…
In terms of private payers, the past year was a transitional year and gives a glimpse into the issues that private plan sponsors will face…
The Ontario government’s efforts to reduce the price of generic drugs will not necessarily result in lower drug benefits plan costs, according to a Mercer…
The Ontario government is putting the brakes on proposed changes to generic drug rules. Originally expected to come into force on May 20, the changes…
The Ontario legislature passed Bill 16, Creating the Foundation for Jobs and Growth Act, 2010 , on Tuesday, banning professional allowances (generic rebates) to pharmacies.…
Provinces across the country are taking steps to tackle the growing cost of generic drugs. Benefits Canada presents this series on drug reform to help…
The current wave of prescription drug reform across Canada could result in a range of benefits for plan sponsors, but the process is still in…
Towers Watson has announced a new drug plan management outsourcing service to organizations, aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability in the face of rising costs. Essentially…