The Benefits Connexion Podcast

In this podcast you’ll hear the discussion Denise Balch has with Justin Bates, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Pharmacists Association on the mandate of the OPA, why Ontario falls short on the role of pharmacists in primary care, the value of engaging pharmacists to reduce the burden of disease in the workplace, and the future of pharmacy.This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

In this podcast Denise Balch of Crosslinks and Connex Health speaks with John Ly, Director of Pharmacy Operations for the Sobeys National Pharmacy Group. They discuss the drivers of provincial changes to pharmacy scope of practice, how these vary provincially, and the specifics of the expanded scope, including the role of pharmacy in disease management.This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

In this podcast Denise Balch of Connex Health speaks with Ned Pojskic, VP Pharmacy Benefits Management at Green Shield Canada about obesity, why obesity is a disease, and why Green Shield is changing their reimbursement philosophy across their block of business in 2023. Ned oversees the PBM portfolio at Green Shield, including product development, pharmaceutical partnerships, and operations. In that role he is leading a new direction for Green Shield as an insurer and pharmacy benefits manager. Join this podcast for a discussion on trends in obesity, an overview of clinical practice guidelines, and the three contributing factors to obesity. This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

Joining Denise Balch for this podcast is Joan Weir, recently appointed Vice President, Group Benefits, at the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA). Joan and Denise will explore key areas of change in employee benefits:The insurance industry response to COVID-19 and the aftermath, including insights into long COVID and COVID-related disability trendsThe CLHIA Fact Book CLHIA and drugs for rare diseasesPharmacare and new data on the uninsuredPublicly funded dental benefitsParamedical benefit trendsPrior authorization and an electronic submission solutionPharmacy claim standardsVision care beyond vision correction – closing the gaps on diagnosing diseaseVaccines and their place in group benefit plansHear directly from CLHIA on these important developments in group benefits that will affect plan sponsors.This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

Joining Denise Balch as guests on this podcast are Dr. Jiwon Oh, a staff neurologist, scientist, and Medical Director of the Barlo Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto who specializes in the care of people living with MS, and Ardra Shephard, a sought-after writer, consultant and speaker who lives with MS. Ardra’s award-winning blog Tripping On Air enjoys an international reach and reputation and she has a regular column with Healthline (Ask Ardra Anything).Dr. Oh provides education on MS, the importance of an early diagnosis, and how a treatment plan targeted to each patient’s disease profile delivers best possible health outcomes. Learn about the impact of MS from Ardra Shephard, as she weighs in alongside Dr. Oh on the reimbursement challenges patients can sometimes face. Dr. Oh also provides insights into how diagnostics and treatments have evolved to provide better health outcomes for patients and what the potential for future developments in MS treatment hold.Listen now to obtain a 0.5 CE credit for this session.This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.To obtain CE credits, please complete the survey.  CE credits will be issued 7-10 days after the podcast date. You can also reach out to Nathan Smofsky at nathansmofsky@connexhc.com to obtain your credits.

John Anacleto, Director of Private Payer Strategies & Data Insights, PDCI Market Access, joins Denise Balch to explore more on data analytics, why data is in higher demand than ever and how data can be used. John will give his insights into how data reporting and data analytics have changed, and how the industry is responding to the demand from advisors and plan sponsors for better tools for understanding trends and forecasting purposes. From benchmarking to dashboards to how data can deliver value you won’t want to miss this session if you use data to help understand the past and evaluate the future.This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.--Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

What has changed for SMEs in group benefits? Find out by signing up to the BPHA program to hear our latest of 16 recently-updated modules. Max Mahardi, Business Development Manager at Ontario Blue Cross describes health and dental benefit plan challenges for small businesses, and innovative solutions that are available to them. In the link below Max gives a brief overview of what you can expect to hear in Session 5, Module 3, Individual Health and Dental Plans.Are you having difficulty finding good content to stay on top of the rapidly changing group benefits landscape? Look no further than the Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program. In addition to covering all the basics and more of group benefits by industry professionals in 35 hours and CE credits, you get to stay current with regularly updated content (up to 10 hours and CE credits per year) plus three free BPHA at lunch webinars (1.5 CE credits each) on current hot topics. The BPHA program is your surefire source for CE credits if you are life licensed or AS licensed across the country*.Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.This program is the perfect match for industry seasoned professionals and beginners in a flexible, online self-study and accessible format, and is comprehensive and affordable. Plus, you get access to additional exclusive member resources including a library of industry news and reports, an insights blog, and Ask the Expert resource. Group discounts are available and our program can be customized to fit your organization’s needs for professional development.Find out more at connexhc.com/bpha.*CE credits are available in British Columbia, Alberta (A&S credits only), Ontario, and the Atlantic provinces. Additional accreditations are expected in early 2022.

We are pleased to welcome Cole Pinnow, President of Pfizer Canada and the recently appointed Chair of the Board for Innovative Medicines Canada to this podcast. Mr. Pinnow has a background as a microbiologist in the pharmaceutical industry and a masters in business administration. He is also a Board member of Montreal InVivo, and a co-lead for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s COVID-19 Recovery Leadership Council.In this podcast, Mr. Pinnow provides insights into lessons learned about how Canada and the pharmaceutical sector have responded to the pandemic and the lingering impact of the ‘shadow’ pandemic. He answers questions about healthcare resiliency and the impact of chronic disease, specialty drugs and drugs for rare diseases on patients and plan sponsors. Plus he makes comment on the opportunities and benefits of collaboration between research based pharmaceutical companies and insurers.Join us for these and more fascinating insights. This podcast is free. Thank you to our season sponsors for the Benefits Breakfast Club for making this podcast possible.--Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

It’s a New Year and time to sign up for the BPHA program that includes invaluable education about the benefits industry, and comes with membership for access to additional programming and resources to makes sure you stay current with all the latest trends and developments.We’ll be updating some modules in 2022, and we added 3 brand new modules and updated 13 modules to the Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program on October 2021. One of our new presenters, Alison Adams, Account Executive and TPA Business Development at SSQ, presents a brand new module recorded in the Fall on Third-Party Administration (Session 4 Module 3). Here is a sneak preview.  Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/bpha.

The BPHA program and membership offers invaluable education about the benefits industry, and allows you to stay current with all the latest trends and developments.Building professional credibility requires an understanding of the fundamentals of group benefits. This week we are featuring George Elliott, CEBS, and Senior Group Benefits Specialist at RBC Insurance. He’s been a member of our Advisory Board since founding the BPHA program. George has a thorough working knowledge of the fundamentals. He joined us recently to update his 1 hour module on Funding Arrangements and Underwriting Fundamentals. This is a must have module if you are working in group benefits. Listen to how George describes the take aways from this module. Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/bpha.

We're keen to share our new content with you in our Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program launched October 1, 2021. Listen to an excerpt of Session 1, Module 4, Pharmaceuticals – Drug Discovery and Reimbursement with Joe Farago, Executive Director of Private Payers at Innovative Medicines Canada, on the complex landscape of drug discovery and market access and ideas on how to protect the value of private drug benefits for your clients. Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/bpha.

We're still not done bringing you our new content in our Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program, launched October 1, 2021. This week we are featuring a new recorded session by Laura Blair, Director of Sales at Express Scripts Canada. Listen as she describes what you'll learn in Session 8, Module 3 on Formularies and Pharmacy Benefits Managers as she provides an update on how PBMs are adapting to new realities of benefit trends, and how they are using drug formularies and other schemes to help manage drug and other benefits.Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

We've recently updated many of the modules in our Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate (BPHA) program to keep it fresh and relevant. We are excited to share with you what we've changed. This week listen to two of our new presenters, Alison Adams and Mylene Desjardins, both Account Executives from SSQ, describing what they'll cover in their updated session (Session 5, Module 1) on Pooled and Voluntary Benefits including AD&D and critical illness which often are overlooked but offer surprising benefits to employees at low cost. Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

New and updated content to the Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program launched October 1, 2021. We are bringing you a series of excerpts directly from our presenters on what you will take away from their module and why you should consider enrolling in the BPHA program.Our brand new module on vision care features Dr. Harry Bohnsack, Optometrist, Bohnsack & Steffler, and President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists: Putting Health Into Vision Care (Session 2, Module 2). In this module, Dr. Bohnsack reviews current vision care plans, when and why additional screening is sometimes necessary, and provides guidance on modernizing vision care to address the needs of current employee demographics.Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

Updates to the Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program launched October 1, 2021. With new modules, new content and new presenters we are bringing you a series of excerpts from some of our sessions and insights from presenters on why you should consider enrolling in the BPHA program.You can hear some insights from new presenter Jonathan Chan, Principal, Enterprise Benefit Solutions at People Corporation, in a brand new session, Pooling in a Complex Market (Session 2, Module 5) describing pooling insurance products and a commentary by Denise Balch on industry pooling and its role in managing rising specialty and rare disease drug claims for Canadian employers and insurers.Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus up to 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

This week we hear from Emily Stewart and Melissa Lougheed from Benefits by Design on what you will take away from their session, including helpful tips for advisors on how to prepare for a renewal and steps on how to conduct analysis and forecasting. Learn best practices to deliver to your client at this crucial and vulnerable milestone every year.The Benefits & Private Healthcare Associate (BPHA) is a unique online, high quality benefits education program that is accessible and affordable. Earn 35 CE credits and your BPHA certification when you complete the full program.Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus up to 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

We are live with program updates now! Updates to the Benefits and Private Healthcare Associate program launched October 1, 2021. With new modules, new content and new presenters we are bringing you a series of excerpts from some of our sessions and insights from presenters on why you should consider enrolling in the BPHA program. You can hear some insights from Session 1, Module 2 The Insurance Landscape by new presenter Barb Martinez, National Practice Leader, Drug Solutions at Canada Life giving her take on the latest policy issues relevant to the insurance industry and hot off the press health insurance claims trends as of June 2021 from the Canada Life book of businessThe Benefits & Private Healthcare Associate (BPHA) is a unique online, high quality benefits education program that is accessible and affordable. Earn 35 CE credits and your BPHA certification when you complete the full program.Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus up to 3 free BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.After you attain your designation you can renew your membership to stay current with access to new sessions to earn extra credits and existing sessions as a refresher whenever you need them.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

Featuring a conversation with Daniel Martz, Vice-President of TELUS Health Virtual Care. Fueled by his passion for leveraging leading-edge technology to transform healthcare and improve health outcomes, Daniel leads TELUS Health’s Virtual Care team in their mission to making healthcare more accessible for all Canadians. With a career spanning over 21 years and with leadership experience in multidisciplinary fields such as healthcare, technology and media, Daniel joined TELUS Health following the acquisition of EQ Care, a virtual care provider, where he served as CEO for eight years.In this podcast we will explore where virtual care began over 25 years ago, including the role of the early executive health programs and at what stage compassionate care was prioritized. Daniel will speak to incorporating the human aspect of virtual care and the impact of recruitment and training on the effective delivery of care. The impact of COVID-19, the increase in the need for mental health services, and the ability of virtual care to respond will all be addressed. The discussion will conclude with a look into the future of virtual care, beyond the current pandemic, and to what degree a human connection will continue to be important.--Recorded September 1, 2021.Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.

The BPHA program and membership offers invaluable education about the benefits industry, and allows you to stay current with all the latest trends and developments.Listen to this excerpt as new presenter Matthew Crites, Sales Supervisor at Equitable Life of Canada explains what he’ll cover in Session 3, Module 3: What to Include in Plan Marketing Specifications and how to guide your clients at a time when they may be looking for new solutions. Register for the program here or find out more about the program here before you register.Registration includes 12 months access to our exclusive members-only library and Ask the Expert resource plus all BPHA at Lunch sessions for extra CE credits.Find out more at connexhc.com/online-education.

Featuring a conversation with Kevin Frankish, broadcaster, former co-host of one of Canada’s largest morning shows and current host of his own podcast, the Happy Molecule, plus Lisa Maks, a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Diabetes, at the Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton.  In this podcast we will hear how Kevin Frankish, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018, has learned to manage his diabetes and what words of advice he has for others living with diabetes. Lisa Maks will share her clinical expertise of counselling patients in an acute care setting when they receive a diagnosis of diabetes, the impact of complications, and improvements in diabetes management. Lisa will also comment on the beneficial role of flash glucose monitoring to assist in managing glucose levels.--Recorded on August 20th and 27th, 2021.Find out more information on upcoming podcasts and webinars at www.connexhc.com.