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
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OHIP+ Being Repealed – In Part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...
British Columbia Medical Services Plan (MSP) Changes effective January 1, 2018 and Proposed January 1, 2019
Effective Jan. 1, 2018, current rates for MSP Premiums were reduced by 50 per cent for all British Columbian residents. There is no need to apply for this reduction as premium amounts were automatically adjusted for all British Columbians. The Regular Premium...
Changes to Employment Insurance
The employment insurance (EI) waiting period: what it means for EI claimants The Employment Insurance (EI) waiting period is the unpaid period just prior to the date on which a claimant may begin to receive EI benefits. It has been set at two weeks since 1971....
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Update- January 2017
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. Summary The primary objective of the CPP enhancement is to increase the retirement...
Prescription Drug Trends – The Burden and Risk of High Cost Specialty Drugs
According to the 2015 Drug Trends Analysis by Express Scripts Canada, the average annual drug spends per private plan claimant increased by a modest 3.9% in 2015. However, the overall increase was comprised of a decline of 1.3% in spending for traditional medications...
Quebec Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan- Update April 2016
The Quebec government has regulated that starting on December 31, 2016, all companies with a business establishment in Quebec with at least 5 employees, who have at least 1 year of uninterrupted service, will be required to set up a Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan...
Best Doctors Global Medical Care a solution to long wait times for medical treatment
A recent Report Card on Wait Times in Canada has called timely access to medical care and treatment in this country as still a work in progress. “It is not right to force Canadians to wait two or three times longer for necessary medical care than citizens of other...
More changes to Ontario’s drug system
Background There has been significant media attention surrounding the provincial governments proposed changes to the drug system. The following is designed to provide you with some unbiased information on the impact of these changes. The Transparent Drug System For...