Health Canada recently approved the first disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, which is a long-awaited milestone that carries significant implications for private drug plans, employers and working Canadians. “Leqembi’s approval is a turning point after two decades of no new treatment options,” said Dr. Sarah Mitchell, cognitive neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and director […]
While Health Canada’s approval of the first drug to specifically treat postpartum depression represents a clinical milestone in women’s mental health, one benefits expert says its impact on employer-sponsored drug plans is likely to be limited. Zuranolone, sold under the brand name Zurzuvae, is a 14-day oral treatment designed to provide rapid symptom relief for […]
Among the 21 million Canadians in the workforce, eight million are women over the age of 40. “We have a large workforce that’s going through the journey of menopause,” said Shawna O’Hearn, co-director and founder at Menopause Society of Nova Scotia, in a session sponsored by Astellas during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. A 2023 […]
Plan sponsors have far more access to benefits utilization and organizational health data than in recent years, but challenges persist with fragmentation and consistency across providers, as well as as difficulty turning data into action, according to a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. “We have 12 sources of data [from external […]
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 […]
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s win in the Drug/Benefits Plan Innovation category at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Workplace Benefits Awards can be attributed to innovation, of course, but also generosity. According to one judge, the organization’s benefits program is one of the most generous they’ve seen. It includes: 100 per cent coverage on drugs, with […]
In both an in-person and virtual format on Sept. 16, the inaugural Toronto Benefits Summit brought together more than 300 employers, consultants, industry providers and other key stakeholders for a full day of exploring trends in the benefits and wellness space. The packed agenda, which was presented to a sold-out room, included panel discussions presenting […]
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 […]
Balancing benefits plan sustainability against meeting the evolving needs of employees continues to keep Canadian plan sponsors up at night. “I think since COVID we’ve seen such a shift in expectations [around] work-life balance, a focus on [diversity, equity and inclusion] and mental health,” said Laura Carter (pictured left), associate director of benefits at the […]