Greece’s Prescription Drug Conundrum

Prescription drugs and pricing is a complex situation no matter where you live. In Greece, the problem is compounded by claims fraud that is said to be more than €500 million per year. In 2010, the Greek government (who sets drug prices) began cutting prices in an effort to control a national health bill...

Generic Cholesterol-Fighting Drug Hits the Market

Generic alternatives have been gaining a lot of attention; especially with their potential to significantly reduce drug costs for group benefit plans. Earlier this month a generic version of a cholesterol fighting drug called Lipitor was introduced. In the first few days that it was available, the generic...

Competing Priorities: Controlling Healthcare Costs vs. Making Profit in the US

Pharmaceutical companies in North Carolina have a new tactic to boost sales: coupons. The idea is to lure consumers away from inexpensive generic drugs, to higher priced brand-name drugs.   In a bid to help control soaring benefit costs, many group benefit plans in the US have previously introduced higher...

Antidepressants Being Substituted for Care by Mental Health Professionals?

According to a recent article in USA today, antidepressant use in the USA has risen by a staggering 400% in the past 20 years. The majority of the antidepressants were used to treat depression. Alarmingly, less than one third of people taking one type of antidepressant and less than half of those taking...

Private Drug Coverage Can Make All the Difference

A Globe and Mail article from earlier this year brings into focus a glaring inconsistency in drug costs across the country. Although medicare covers in-hospital expenses, it does not cover prescription drug expenses (which are often a complement to care provided in the hospital). Depending upon the province,...

Drugs and Quality of Life

We often discuss the financial burden of prescription drugs for group benefit plans. While we can’t exclude economics and a company’s ability to pay for the plan, we also need to make sure that the human element is not overlooked. For MS sufferers, a group benefit plan may very well be the only reason...

Social Media, Pharmaceutical Companies, and You

The internet has fast become the go-to source for medical information, prescription drugs and other health related issues. Online, it’s possible for a person with even the most obscure medical condition to connect with a network of others in similar situations. In many ways, social media has become an...

Should the Government Get Out of the Drug Insurance Business?

Mark Rovere, associate director of health policy studies at the Fraser Institute, says “yes.” According to Rovere, provincial public drug programs are slow to cover new drugs, and are very restrictive as to which new drugs are covered. Private plans are much quicker to cover new drugs, and could...

Apparently, Looks DO Matter!

….at least when it comes to prescription drugs. According to Harvard Researchers, many patients become accustomed to the appearance of certain drugs and can become confused when given a generic alternative that looks different. The danger being, patients confused with the drugs they’re taking often...

Pharmacists Authorize Prescription Refills in Ontario

A new regulation passed in Ontario has some very interesting implications for the dispensing of prescription drugs. The regulation allows pharmacists to authorize prescription drug refills in certain circumstances. The intent of the regulation is to prevent a delay in refilling prescriptions for patients on...