Pharmacogenetic testing has become a popular addition to employee benefits packages, primarily because of its ability to inform personalized drug treatment, especially in mental health where it can be challenging to find an appropriate treatment and dosage that’s effective without causing side-effects. Many patients end up trying multiple medications and dosages without achieving improved outcomes, […]
Mental health is a major pandemic in and of itself, with surveys showing a 300 per cent increase in people reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the availability of hundreds of drug treatments, rates of mental illness continue to increase and “there hasn’t been any pharmacotherapy innovation for mental illness,” […]
With about one in eight individuals struggling with migraine, there’s a significant overlap between migraine and mental health, according to Dr. Rob Tanguay, psychiatrist and president of the Pain Society of Alberta, during Benefits Canada‘s 2021 Mental Health Summit. People living with migraine have a two- to four-times increased risk of having a depressive disorder compared […]
The proposed amendments to the patented medicines regulations by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board could have a big impact on both the group insurance and pharmaceutical industry. “The CLHIA is very supportive of PMPRB adjustments that may be coming,” said Joan Weir, director of health and disability policy at the Canadian Life and Health […]
Canadian employees want more comprehensive coverage under their benefits plans, according to a survey by the Conference Board of Canada and Telus Health. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 Canadian workers, found a majority (82 per cent) of respondents want basic dental services (such as preventative and minor restorative) covered by their benefits plans, […]
Prescription drug costs for public drug plans rose to $12.5 billion in 2019/20, a 3.7 per cent rise in spending since 2017/18, driven primarily by increases in the use of higher-cost drugs, according to a report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. The report, which reviewed data from the National Prescription Drug Utilization Information […]
Critics of a major drug price overhaul hope a fresh federal cabinet will put a temporary stop to the new regulations set to take effect in January. The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board is set to change the way it sets a price cap on medicines in Canada in an effort to lower excessively expensive drug costs. […]
Plan sponsors and plan members have diverging opinions on where benefits dollars are best spent, according to the 2021 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The survey found that plan sponsors and members are less aligned on the value of many benefits than they were a year ago. Indeed, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year, […]
Canadian health benefits plan members’ top stressors have shifted to reflect the new work environments created by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the 2021 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The survey, formerly known as the Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey, found that 35 per cent of plan members described their stress level at the beginning of 2021 […]
Employer-provided medical benefits costs in Canada will rise seven per cent in 2022, according to a new survey by Aon. The annual global medical trend rates survey found the expected increase for Canadian employer-sponsored medical plan costs is due to a combination of higher costs for dental care, paramedical expenses and prescription drugs. It was conducted […]