Compared with recreational users, medical cannabis patients frequently use CBD-dominant preparations with the smallest amount of THC to get the greatest improvements in symptom control, function and quality of life with the fewest adverse events, said Michael Koehn, founder of the CannSolve Clinic in British Columbia. During a session at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at […]
Thirty per cent of deaths in Canada are due to cardiovascular disease. It kills more woman than all cancers combined. And it cost $21 billion 10 to 15 years ago, so with the rising cost of health care, it’s easy to imagine what that number looks like today. “While I’m up here, four Canadians are […]
For adolescents with atopic dermatitis, or eczema, the burden of illness is high and caregivers face many challenges, according to Dr. Neil Shear, president of the Canadian Dermatology Association. “We’re trapped in a qualitative division of mild, moderate and severe, which doesn’t make sense,” said Shear during Benefits Canada’s 2019 Chronic Disease at Work conference […]
Two-thirds (65 per cent) of plan sponsors said they have a specific objective for their health benefits plan in the coming year, according to the 2019 Sanofi health-care survey. The survey found 23 per cent of plan sponsors strongly agreed they have specific objectives, a 13 per cent increase from last year’s survey. “Having a plan objective and […]
Plan sponsors and plan members are unaware of the key differences between private and public drug plans, according to the 2019 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Both employer and employee respondents said they believe private and public prescription drug plans cover close to the same amount of medications. Plan members estimated about 6,600 drugs are covered under private […]
Job satisfaction is a major influence on employees’ perceptions of their personal health, according to the 2019 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. The survey found employees respond positively when they feel valued, and that plan sponsors could benefit from raising awareness of the link between physical and mental health. Plan sponsors, it also noted, can support […]
On May 24, the 2019 Vancouver Benefits Summit focused on how employers can make their organization its healthiest by starting with their benefits plans. Here’s what you missed! Panel: Should drug coverage for certain conditions still be optional? In many workplace drug plans, medications that treat certain conditions remain in the optional life category, but is […]
In many workplace drug plans, medications that treat certain conditions remain in the optional life category, but is this structure still valid today? The optional life category has traditionally been referred to as “lifestyle,” said Rob Taylor, executive vice-president at TRG Group Benefits and Pensions Inc., a division of Hub International Ltd., during a panel […]
Encon Group Inc. is bundling a virtual doctor consultation service into its group health-care product. The insurance provider is collaborating with digital health startup Maple for the new offering, which includes virtual care 24/7, 365 days a year via a smartphone or computer. The offer also includes: access to a comprehensive medical record, owned and […]
While just half (49 per cent) of plan members said changes were made to their benefits plan in the past two years, 72 per cent of plan sponsors reported they made changes, according to the 2019 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. More than half (51 per cent) of members said they didn’t know of any changes to their […]