Reforming private drug coverage in Canada: Inefficient drug benefit design and the barriers to change in unionized settings
| dc.contributor.author | O’Brady, Sean | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gagnon, Marc-André | |
| dc.contributor.author | Cassels, Alan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-05-30T17:47:02Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-05-30T17:47:02Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2015 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2015 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Prescription drugs are the highest single cost component for employees’ benefits packages in Canada. While industry literature considers cost-containment for prescription drug costs to be a priority for insurers and employers, the implementation of cost-containment measures for private drug plans in Canada remains more of a myth than a reality. Through 18 semi-structured phone interviews conducted with experts from private sector companies, unions, insurers and plan advisors, this study explores the reasons behind this incapacity to implement cost-containment measures by examining how private sector employers negotiate drug benefit design in unionized settings. Respondents were asked questions on how employee benefits are negotiated; the relationships between the players who influence drug benefit design; the role of these players’ strategies in influencing plan design; the broad system that underpins drug benefit design; and the potential for a universal pharmacare program in Canada. The study shows that there is consensus about the need to educate employees and employers, more collaboration and data-sharing between these two sets of players, and for external intervention from government to help transform established norms in terms of private drug plan design. | en_US |
| dc.description.reviewstatus | Reviewed | en_US |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Faculty | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | O’Brady, S., Gagnon, M. & Cassels, A. (2015). Reforming private drug coverage in Canada: Inefficient drug benefit design and the barriers to change in unionized settings. Health Policy, 199, 224-231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.11.013 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.11.013 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1828/9406 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Health Policy | en_US |
| dc.subject | Private drug plans | en_US |
| dc.subject | Employee benefits | en_US |
| dc.subject | Drug coverage | en_US |
| dc.subject | Collective bargaining | en_US |
| dc.subject | Pharmaceuticals | en_US |
| dc.subject | Health insurance | en_US |
| dc.title | Reforming private drug coverage in Canada: Inefficient drug benefit design and the barriers to change in unionized settings | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |