Although mental health is approached differently in workplaces around the globe, most multinational employers want to ensure a continuity of care and maintain a similar experience for all employees, while respecting local cultural and legal considerations. For Scotiabank, these considerations include focusing on what types of support are needed, what the employee experience is going […]
In the year ahead, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association will continue its advocacy efforts to ensure the federal government’s proposed pharmacare plan extends coverage for those who lack benefits without disrupting workplace benefits that millions of working Canadians rely on, says Stephen Frank, the association’s president and chief executive officer. The right approach to […]
With the new Canadian Dental Care Plan rolling out, it’s critical that it doesn’t displace existing employer-sponsored dental coverage, says Stephen Frank, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association. He believes a tax credit would be an optimal solution that would go a long way towards encouraging employers not […]
The growth of gene and cell therapies are raising significant questions among private payers about who bears the responsibility for the costs of these treatments, says Tim Clarke, president at TC Health Consulting Inc. “One issue is whether this is going to be paid for by public health or if it’s an employer health issue. […]
With Yukon implementing a transitioning policy on April 3 to expand the use of biosimilar medicines in its public drug plan, it’s important for benefits plan sponsors that create a similar policy for their workplace plans to be clear in their communication and education with employees. “It’s never easy to switch a medication, especially when […]
Plan sponsors face challenges balancing benefits plan sustainability while also ensuring their plan members have access to the care they need, said Marie-Hélène Dugal, manager of pharmacy benefit strategy at Medavie Blue Cross, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2022 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in Toronto in December. Referring to Medavie’s claims data, […]
With the cost of drug claims continuing to rise in 2021, benefits plan sponsors can enable certain drug programs to curb costs, keeping their plans sustainable and offering the benefits that members highly value, said Lavina Viegas, director of pharmacy operations at Telus Health, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2022 Face to Face Drug […]
Canada has done a good job at reducing the stigma around discussing and seeking help for mental-health challenges, but two-thirds of Canadians who are struggling still don’t seek help. That’s a likely symptom of the country’s “fractured and fragmented” health-care system, said Joe Blomeley, executive vice-president and head of health services and enterprise growth at […]
Many employees may be dreaming of a carefree retirement following many years in the trenches — but they’ll likely have to keep dreaming if they don’t have first-rate, post-retirement health and dental insurance coverage. Many employers provide supplemental health insurance (drug, dental, extended health and out-of-country medical) as part of comprehensive packages of employee benefits, […]
When Leona Guenette comes down with a bad case of bronchitis, she knows exactly what antibiotics she needs. Normally for Guenette, the pension and benefits administrator of the Sagkeeng First Nation, that meant scheduling an appointment with her local doctor to get a prescription. But as of June 2020, when Sagkeeng and 350 other First […]