What happens if one of my employees needs an Unusually EXPENSIVE drug? If you read or watch the news you may well be aware that some drugs cost far more than others. We too frequently hear a lot about high-cost drugs in the media and our clients are asking a lot of questions about providing coverage for these drugs and paying for these expensive claims. How Much Can Drugs Cost? Here are just a few examples of some of the…

In Canada, many of us consider our healthcare expenses to be "free." Perhaps we feel that our expenses are limited only to our group benefits plan premiums at work. Or maybe we pay for our provincial medical plan premiums - which is sometimes even paid for us by employers. True - as constituents in a country offering a public healthcare system, we are not directly billed for services received. But while we may not hand over our personal credit and debit cards each time we visit our doctor or the…

Question of the Week:  I just got a new prescription from my doctor, and my pharmacist told me that my drug plan will only allow a 30 day supply to be dispensed. WHY?  When you get a new prescription filled, you may find your Insurer has applied a limit to the number of pills you are allowed to be reimbursed for under your Benefits Plan.   We are often asked why this limit is necessary. The “Initial Days’ Supply” - that is,…

Question of the Week: Why did my Insurer cut off my drug claim reimbursement? Apparently I can’t claim any more drugs until I send my Insurer proof of registration with PharmaCare. What??? Though 12 years have passed since British Columbia’s Fair PharmaCare program was initially implemented in 2003, our office still gets calls occasionally with this question! In short, since 2003, ALL individuals must register with Fair PharmaCare to receive a family deductible; the deductible is based on your net family…