by Robert J. Crowder CLU, GBA | Sep 27, 2016 | ASO Benefit Plans, Benefits Costs, Employee Benefits
That’s right; your benefits plan has a drug problem. Specifically, there’s a storm brewing with expensive prescription drugs – and most employee benefits plans won’t be able to weather it without the right precautions in place. There’s no question about it, the cost...
by Mike Ignatz | Feb 12, 2016 | Benefits Costs
As you search for the best benefits plan to meet your business’s needs, you may decide an alternative to the typical conventional plan is right for you – like an Administrative Services Only (ASO) plan. An ASO plan is an arrangement where your business funds your own...
by Mike Ignatz | Jun 12, 2015 | Benefits Costs, Coordination of Benefits, Employee Benefits
Most people know the essentials of coordination of benefits (COB); however, there are a few details that are less widely known. These details are important to understand. They allow you to get the most from the different benefits plans you and your dependents are...
by Mike Ignatz | Apr 28, 2015 | Benefits Costs, Employee Benefits, Provincial Updates
The Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) is a joint initiative by Canada’s provinces and territories to achieve a better value for generic drugs in Canada. As a result of recent bargaining from pCPA, the price of the following fourteen generic drugs has been...
by Karen Taylor Smith | Jan 14, 2015 | Benefits Costs, Employee Benefits, Healthcare Spending Accounts
Some employers believe they can save money on administration by self-managing their healthcare spending account (HCSA) benefits plan. However, it’s important to know that self-administration often results in high costs, lost time, and other drawbacks. Before you...
by Mike Ignatz | Nov 19, 2014 | Benefits Costs, Custom Plan Design, Employee Benefits
In the Fall 2014 edition of Canadian Treasurer Magazine, The Benefits Trust’s Robert Crowder (President) and Karen Taylor Smith (Senior Manager, Group Benefits) were interviewed, along with six of the other top benefits consultants in Canada, to comment on the topic...