Savings programs for brand-name medications can alleviate some cost pressures for benefits plan sponsors and possibly impact plan design, says Jarred French, senior benefits consultant at BFL Canada.

In May, Novo Nordisk Canada launched a savings program for glucagon-like peptide-1 therapy Ozempic and recently expanded the program to eligible Canadians with private drug coverage.

Such savings programs can have an impact on cost as well as the actual supply of the medication. “We saw this when Wegovy came to market in the U.S., it was so popular that it took a while for it to enter the Canadian market,” says French. “I think the same is true of generics. We’re manufacturing now, but will every province be able to meet the demand? Initially these cards can even have more impact because if you have the right design in place, it can result in receiving savings earlier while........

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