Latest news in Health benefits

Have your say: Will OHIP+ bring meaningful savings for private plans?

Have your say: Will OHIP+ bring meaningful savings for private plans?

As 2018 quickly approaches, so too does the rollout of Ontario’s new youth pharmacare coverage for those aged 24 and younger. The plan, which launches on…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • November 27, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:30
Canadian physicians more familiar with biosimilars but still lack understanding: survey

Canadian physicians more familiar with biosimilars but still lack understanding: survey

Canadian physicians are becoming more familiar with biosimilars, according to a new survey by the U.S.-based Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines. The organization’s new survey, which…

  • By: Sonya Felix
  • November 27, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:10
Arbitrator upholds employer’s move to cut down on pharmacy visits

Arbitrator upholds employer’s move to cut down on pharmacy visits

A recent arbitration decision underlines the pivotal role that collective bargaining agreement language plays in the extent to which employers and their insurers can make…

Sounding Board: A primer on OHIP+ for private payers

Sounding Board: A primer on OHIP+ for private payers

Although a national pharmacare strategy seems elusive, the Ontario government is making a fairly aggressive investment in that area by spending $465 million to boost its…

  • By: Chris Pryce
  • November 24, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:45
Alberta touts 8.5% price cut under updated dental fee guide

Alberta touts 8.5% price cut under updated dental fee guide

The Alberta government has announced a new dental fee guide for 2018 that provides for an 8.5 per cent cut in suggested prices for 60…

  • By: Staff
  • November 23, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 07:49
Editorial: Shining a bright light on drug costs

Editorial: Shining a bright light on drug costs

It’s hard enough for plan members to understand how they can best use their benefits plans, particularly when they’re unaware of the details of the…

  • By: Glenn Kauth
  • November 21, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
The role of benefits plans in responding to the opioid crisis

The role of benefits plans in responding to the opioid crisis

More than 2,500 Canadians died from opioid-related overdoses in 2016, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The situation is particularly grave in the…

Why startups should resist the allure of a Cadillac benefits plan

Why startups should resist the allure of a Cadillac benefits plan

More than two years ago, an Oakville, Ont.-based startup — a small technology company with nine employees — was looking to implement a benefits plan.…

SSQ’s new peer support program trains mental-health allies

SSQ’s new peer support program trains mental-health allies

SSQ Life Insurance Co. Inc. is aiming to increase peer support in the workplace with a new service launched this week. The service, MyAlly, is available to…

  • By: Staff
  • November 16, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:30
Manulife rolls out group benefits option through Amazon’s Alexa service

Manulife rolls out group benefits option through Amazon’s Alexa service

With Amazon.com Inc.’s Alexa service and related devices to be available in Canada in December, Manulife Financial Corp. has developed a capability for the voice-activated digital…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • November 15, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
New virtual health-care program aims to save employee time, support wellness

New virtual health-care program aims to save employee time, support wellness

Great-West Life Assurance Co. has partnered with digital health-care provider Dialogue to offer its virtual health-care platform as part of its group benefits plans. The platform, which can…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • November 15, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:59
TTC condoned benefits fraud, union argues in fighting staff terminations

TTC condoned benefits fraud, union argues in fighting staff terminations

The Toronto Transit Commission condoned the benefits fraud involving millions of dollars for orthopedic claims, the union representing workers is arguing in a number of…

  • By: Glenn Kauth
  • November 14, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 15:30
Drugs pushing Canada’s total health spend to $242 billion in 2017: CIHI

Drugs pushing Canada’s total health spend to $242 billion in 2017: CIHI

As Canada’s total health spend is expected to reach $242 billion by the end of 2017, the amount spent on drugs is expected to grow at…

  • By: Staff
  • November 7, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:30
CUPE launches campaign to reverse B.C. school district decision to cut retiree benefits

CUPE launches campaign to reverse B.C. school district decision to cut retiree benefits

The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 561 is calling on the Coquitlam, B.C., school district to reverse its decision to cut post-retirement health benefits…

Smart pill bottles among new technologies emerging to boost patient outcomes

Smart pill bottles among new technologies emerging to boost patient outcomes

Through emerging options that create automated processes to address prevention and wellness and increase accountability by the patient, specialty pharmacy has the ability to deliver…

Pharmacists’ role evolving to help plans manage costs

Pharmacists’ role evolving to help plans manage costs

An aging population and a trend towards costly drugs entering the market are driving benefit plan costs higher, but pharmacists can play a key role…

Helping plan management measures ‘come alive’ for members

Helping plan management measures ‘come alive’ for members

As plan members deal with the increased complexity of benefits plans, what’s the role of pharmacies in helping them understand and navigate the various rules…

Conference coverage: 2017 Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management forum

Conference coverage: 2017 Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management forum

What services can pharmacists provide and what are some of the new technologies and solutions available to help improve health outcomes? Benefits Canada’s Pharmacy Solutions…

  • By: Staff
  • November 6, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
A look at pharmacists’ role in supporting drug adherence

A look at pharmacists’ role in supporting drug adherence

With research showing that the rate of adherence to mental-health prescriptions is lower than for drugs to treat other conditions, pharmacists are in a good…

Encouraging better decisions by high-cost claimants the ‘greatest opportunity to capture savings’

Encouraging better decisions by high-cost claimants the ‘greatest opportunity to capture savings’

Increased drug spending and the arrival of new, high-cost medications require innovative approaches to drive better decisions by plan members, according to John Herbert, director of…

Sales of high-price drugs up 200% since 2006: PMPRB

Sales of high-price drugs up 200% since 2006: PMPRB

High-price drugs accounted for 40 per cent of patented drug sales in 2016, compared to 7.6 per cent in 2006, according to the Patented Medicine…

  • By: Staff
  • October 30, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30
Health Canada puts brakes on plan for orphan drug framework

Health Canada puts brakes on plan for orphan drug framework

Earlier this month, Health Canada did some substantial editing to its website, removing all references to a planned regulatory framework for orphan drugs. Orphan drugs…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • October 27, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:55
Liberals show some openness to reform amid calls to protect pensions in insolvencies

Liberals show some openness to reform amid calls to protect pensions in insolvencies

CARP is the latest organization to call for legislative reforms to better protect pensioners working for private sector companies that file for insolvency. CARP, formerly…

Schneider Electric to roll out global paid leave policy

Schneider Electric to roll out global paid leave policy

Schneider Electric is rolling out a new family leave policy, aiming to cover all global employees by January 2019. The global family leave policy will be deployed…

  • By: Staff
  • October 23, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
A free purse with a benefits claim? How incentives can land providers, employees in trouble

A free purse with a benefits claim? How incentives can land providers, employees in trouble

While it might come as a surprise to some plan members, what may seem like a freebie or giveaway with the purchase of a medical…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • October 19, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:37