Background In January 2018, the previous Ontario Liberal government launched OHIP+ Youth Drug program, with an estimated annual cost of $465 million. It was designed to provide coverage to all OHIP-insured dependents under the age of 25 for the roughly 4,400 drugs...
Recent Articles
Morneau Shepell makes offer to acquire EAP, wellness provider LifeWorks
Morneau Shepell Inc. has announced an intent to acquire the Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”) and wellness provider LifeWorks Corp. Ltd. “This acquisition is aligned with Morneau Shepell’s global growth strategy as well as our focus on technology innovations to...
Termination of Benefits Coverage at Age 65 Declared Unconstitutional
The Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) was amended to remove the upper limit on age discrimination and prohibit mandatory retirement in 2006. Discrimination in connection with benefit and pension plans based on age continued to be permitted by the Code and the Benefits...
OHIP+ Being Repealed – In Part
Six months following the implementation of the OHIP+ drug coverage for Ontarians under the age of 25, the new provincial government is repealing it, at least in part. Effective January 1, 2018, all Ontario residents under the age of 25 received full reimbursement of...
Ontario – Universal drug coverage for Youth
The government of Ontario released its 2017 budget on Thursday April 27, 2017. Contained within the 2017 budget was a surprise policy announcement: the creation of a new drug program called OHIP+: Children & Youth Pharmacare. This will benefit all Ontario...
Prescription drug spending reaches $29.4B in Canada
The growth in health spending in Canada is slow overall, but public-sector spending on prescription drugs has increased, according to two new reports. The Canadian Institute for Health Information's (CIHI) overview of health expenditures from 1975 to 2016 showed the...
Canadian Retirement Landscape Update- July 2016
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Enhanced, Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) Repealed On June 20, 2016 at the Federal- Provincial- Territorial Finance Minister’s Meeting in Vancouver, an agreement in principle was reached on Canada Pension Plan (CPP) enhancement....
Protection from the Risk of High Cost Prescription Drug Claims
Private group insurance plans continue to bear the brunt of increasingly higher cost prescription drugs in Canada due to the continued absence of a government sponsored catastrophic drug program. In 2013, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association and...
New Hepatitis C Biologic Drugs – The Impact to Plan Sponsors
What is Hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a slow progressing virus that is transmitted through the blood and attacks the liver. About 25% of individuals who contract the virus are able to clear it. Many experience a brief acute illness with symptoms of fatigue, loss of...
New High Cost Drugs having a Significant Impact on Group Insurance Carriers and Plan Sponsors
In the absence of a government sponsored catastrophic drug program across Canada, private group insurance plans are continuing to bear the brunt of increasingly higher cost prescription drugs. New medical treatments have resulted in a significant increase in the...