Summary of provincial changes affecting group benefit plans
Each year, provincial governments make changes that
Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) introduced –
affect coverage under both public and private benefit
The province of Quebec implemented the Quebec
plans. Outlined below are the changes Great-West Life
Parental Insurance Plan to provide maternity, paternity
believes wil be of greatest interest to plan sponsors.
and parental benefits to its residents. The program
This is not intended to be a complete listing of all
replaces the maternity, paternity and parental benefits
changes for 2006, but rather a summary that highlights
previously provided to Quebec residents through the
key developments. Plan sponsors may have learned of
federal employment insurance program. It provides
some of these changes through previous GroupLines.
benefits to employees who take time off work for the birth or adoption of a child. Quebec RAMQ drug coverageamended – RAMQ adjusted
the Basic Prescription Drug Insurance Plan. Changes
Mandatory retirement ends – As of December 12,
that became effective July 1, 2006, included the
2006, Ontario law protects employees aged 65 and
older from age discrimination. Provincially regulated employers can no longer force employees to retire
• The minimum coverage of RAMQ formulary drugs
solely because they have reached age 65.
that plan sponsors must offer plan members who are residents of Quebec decreased to 71 per cent
Province of Ontario reforms drug system – Ontario’s
Bil 102 (Transparent Drug System for Patients Act, 2006) passed in the province’s legislature in June. The
• The annual out-of-pocket maximum for RAMQ
reforms are intended to improve patients’ access to
formulary drugs increased to $881 from $857.
drugs under the public program, promote appropriate
• The monthly deductible increased to $12.10
use of drugs and bolster the governance and operation
of the public drug system. Among the changes were increased access to lower-cost generic drugs, a more
• The annual premium that Quebec residents
rapid provincial review process for some drugs and
must pay for RAMQ coverage increased to $538
greater ease in obtaining approval for drugs that are not
part of the Ontario Drug Benefit general formulary. Quebec may ease private healthcare restrictions – The Quebec government introduced Bill 33 (an Act to amend the Act respecting health services and Out-of-province and out-of-country chiropractic, social services and other legislative provisions). The
optometric, dental and podiatric services – Effective
government is currently holding hearings about the
July 1, 2006, Alberta no longer covers chiropractic,
bill. If enacted, Bill 33 will amend several pieces of
optometric, dental and podiatric services received
Quebec legislation relating to healthcare access, and
out-of-province or out-of-country. These services,
open the door to private healthcare in Quebec in a
when provided outside Alberta for an Alberta resident,
limited way. Its main focus is to create greater access
wil be covered under Great-West insured plans and
to health care and reduce treatment delays that occur
administrative services only plans according to the terms
of a plan sponsor’s current benefit plan. Pharmacists to prescribe some drugs – The Newfoundland and Labrador
Alberta government has passed legislation that allows
Children’s dental health – The Newfoundland
pharmacists to prescribe some drug treatments,
and Labrador government announced changes to
continue prescriptions made by other health
its children’s dental health program, which provides
practitioners and administer injection drug treatments,
coverage of basic dental services to children 12 and
such as vaccines. These changes take effect in
younger, subject to a co-payment. Effective September
April 2007. The intent of the Alberta government
1, 2006, the government plan is the payer of last
is to provide patients with better access to drug
resort for families with private insurance.
treatments, particularly basic drugs, in situations where prescriptions need to be extended. Pharmacists will
Prescription drug program – The provincial
be able to prescribe drugs when they have had extra
government announced it is considering an expansion
training, subject to specific limits established by the
of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug
Program to include additional low-income residents. The program provides assistance in the purchase of
Manitoba
pharmaceuticals and some related medical supplies.
PPI status changed – Manitoba Pharmacare changed
Details of the expansion are limited; the government is
the status of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) from Part
expected to propose legislation to take effect in 2007.
2 to Part 3. Effective March 13, 2006, Manitoba
At the same time, the legislation would make the
Pharmacare requires that patients starting PPI therapy
for the first time meet Exception Drug Status (EDS)
Bill 25 – Bill 25 became law on May 26, 2006. Under
criteria in order to be eligible for Pharmacare coverage.
the new law, family status was added as a prohibited
Those who commenced PPI therapy prior to March 13,
ground of discrimination. The law also prohibits
2006, will continue to have Pharmacare coverage for
mandatory retirement effective May 26, 2007.
eligible PPIs until January 15, 2007. After this date, Manitoba Pharmacare will require that all patients
Nova Scotia
meet EDS criteria in order to have continued coverage
Pharmacare for low-income children – The Nova
of eligible PPIs. The drugs affected by this change are
Scotia Low-Income Pharmacare for Children program
Apo-Omeprazole, Losec, Pariet, Pantoloc and Prevacid.
became effective October 1, 2006. It will potentially
New Manitoba Pharmacare deductible rates – The
help up to 35,000 children under the age of 18 whose
provincial government increased Pharmacare family
families receive the Nova Scotia Child Benefit.
deductible rates for the 2006-2007 benefit year. The rates, which took effect April 1, 2006, are as follows:
For more information Please contact your benefits advisor or Great-West Manitoba Pharmacare Deductible Adjusted Total as a Percentage of Adjusted Total Family Income Family Income This GroupLine is for general use and informational purposes 2005-2006 2006-2007 only. It is not intended to be legal or tax advice. You should Pharmacare Pharmacare Plan Year Plan Year consult your professional advisors about your particular circumstances.
to $15,000Greater than $15,000 and less than or equal
to $40,000Greater than $40,000 and less than or equal
Hospital Estadual Bauru Av. Eng. Luís Edmundo C. Coube, 1-100 CEP: 17033-360 - Bauru/SP Fone: (14) 3103-7777 ORIENTAÇÕES OBRIGATÓRIAS PARA REALIZAÇÃO DE CATETERISMO CARDÍACO ANGIOGRAFIA VASCULAR PERIFÉRICA E ANGIOPLASTIA 1) Jejum de no mínimo 4 horas. Se o exame for realizado no período da tarde, o paciente deverá tomar o café da manhã entre 07 e 08 horas. Hidratar-s
cloridrato de metformina FORMA FARMACÊUTICA E APRESENTAÇÕES Este medicamento não deve ser utilizado por mulheres Comprimidos revestidos de 500 mg e 850 mg, em embalagens grávidas, sem orientação médica. contendo 30 e 60 comprimidos revestidos. Este medicamento é contraindicado para crianças Comprimidos revestidos de 1 g, em embalagens contendo 30 abaixo de 10 anos.