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 is on the rise—not just among those who are older— and 3 out of 5 Canadians have a chronic illness1 Empire Life is asking the question: Are you Underestimating the Impact of Chronic Disease? Chronic disease is on the rise and not just for elderly people, 3 out of 5 Canadians have a chronic illness.…

I have been talking a lot about prescription drugs and how it affects your employee benefit program. My Blog has spoken about abuse, non adherence, and the last webinar I attended, given by Telus Health, was about Pharmacogenetics. What is Pharmacogenetics? It is the study of how the actions of and reactions to drugs vary…

I realize that you will get this post after the holiday, but I still wanted to recognize the day.  My curiosity has gotten the best of me this year and I want to better understand the statutory holidays we enjoy in our country. Wikipedia describes it as follows: Frequently referred to as "Canada's birthday", particularly…

I'm doing everything I can to control the cost of your employee benefits. My question is "Are you doing everything you can to control your benefit costs?" As a diligent broker representing Employee Benefits, the complaint I hear the most when I go in to see a client is, Why are my rates so high?,…

A friend of mine always reminds me, "No facts in the future."   When I grew up as a teenager, society often considered people who smoked marijuana and hash as stoners. In my Insurance career, I have come to know that Insurance Companies are very conservative.  The fact that they have accepted marijuana and hash usage…

There are 3 types of Prescription Drug reimbursement programs: Reimbursement for Brand Name Drugs with no option for Generic Drugs.  This means that if there is a generic drug available the insured does not have to elect this option.  The plan will pay for all Brand Name Drugs.  Telus Health has indicated that there is still…

Choosing Wisely Canada is a campaign to help physicians and patients engage in conversations about unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures. I was introduced to this website when I was at the Telus Health Conference in Kelowna last month.  As my family and I age, I am finding more exposure to this situation.  I had a family…

There is a lot of controversy over Genetic Testing and how it will affect a person in their job and in purchasing insurance.  The Globe and Mail recently did an article on "How Genetic Testing Can be Used Against You", and as usual I agree with a small portion of what they say. I have been…

In 2016 the Victoria Day holiday is on Monday, May 23. Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25 in every province and territory. It honours Queen Victoria's birthday. In Quebec this holiday is called "National Patriotes Day" (Journée nationale des patriotes). Victoria Day is also commonly referred to…