An article on Ontario’s proposed changes to preferred pharmacy network agreements was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. How Ontario’s proposed changes to preferred pharmacy networks could reshape drug plan costs 2. How predictability in the […]
Ontario’s signal that it may restrict or eliminate preferred pharmacy networks has created urgency for plan sponsors that rely on these arrangements to manage drug plan costs and access. Preferred pharmacy networks have been used in private drug plans for more than a decade. A PPN is a group of pharmacies selected because they offer […]
As effective weight management drugs come to market, it’s time to move beyond outdated approaches to obesity care and towards holistic treatment strategies, said Marie-Hélène Dugal, national pharmacy strategy lead for Medavie Blue Cross, during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Toronto Benefits Summit. Obesity is a progressive, relapsing and complex chronic disease characterized by abnormal and excessive […]
While roughly half of Canada’s provinces now provide some form of public coverage for fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization, the cost is still too prohibitive for many people. Employers are starting to help bridge the gap, “but there’s definitely still room for improvement,” said Tara Wood, principal of Purpose PR and co-founder of Fertility […]
At the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown on May 13, Benefits Canada hosted the 2025 Vancouver Benefits Summit, an event designed for B.C.-based employers, advisors and consultants. Across several insightful sessions, the event’s attendees learned about what matters most to their employees and overall workforce health, including holistic well-being programs, fertility benefits, pharmacy care, hormonal health and […]
Weight management medications emerged as the fastest growing drug category in 2024, with claims for these drugs surging by 90.6 per cent since 2023, according to Telus Health’s annual drug report. The report, which is based on claims data from more than 15 million plan members in 2024, found the increase in claims was driven […]
Between 2018 and 2023, prescription drug expenditures in private drug plans grew at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1 per cent, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. It found in 2023, prescription drug expenditures for private plans rose by 12.9 per cent, returning to the pre-pandemic growth trend. […]
Manitoba has become the first province to officially join Ottawa’s pharmacare program, giving it access to federal funding to cover the cost of birth control and diabetes medications as well as hormone replacement therapy for menopause. “This is the beginning of a journey that cannot end,” said Health Minister Mark Holland. “There’s no room for […]
Innovative Medicines Canada is appointing Patrick Hupé as vice-president of government and stakeholder relations. He brings more than 25 years of experience in medical technology and life sciences, including senior roles at Medtronic, Pfizer Inc. and Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. According to a press release, Hupé has led high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams and executed large-scale initiatives to […]
Advances in medical science and innovations in drug development necessitate updated drug plan strategies, according to Frédéric Leblanc (pictured far right), strategic leader of drug programs, group benefits and retirement solutions at iA Financial Group. During a panel discussion supported by EMD Serono Inc., GSK, iA Financial Group, Merck & Co. Inc., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. […]