INTERVIEW
For those companies with group benefits already in place, what are some of the most common concerns that business owners have regarding group benefits? Two of the biggest concerns we hear about from our clients and the advisors who support them are the rapid rise in prescription drug costs, and the prevalence of depression and anxiety and other mental health conditions among their employee populations. These are two of the important drivers of the claims experience under a group benefits plan. Prescription drugs cost Canadian group benefits plans over $9.9 billion in 2018 and are expected to continue to rise due to an increase in the use of opioids, expensive biologic drugs and specialty drugs to treat chronic conditions. Our goal is to deliver high quality and comprehensive coverage for plan members, with innovative claims management policies to help employers save on drug costs. Our Preferred Pharmacy Network for Speciality Drugs for example, provides discounted pricing on speciality drugs, and adherence and support services to plan members, helping them work through the process of obtaining and then taking drugs often prescribed for serious medical conditions. Other examples include our narcotics policies which help ensure the effective use and not overuse and abuse of another critical class of claims, and our drug compatibility testing program mentioned earlier. It's important for us as the insurer to help our clients understand what's driving the claims experience on the prescription drug plan and then to have programs in place to address those trends. I also mentioned plan member mental health as a concern of business owners’. Mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, are the leading cause of disability claims. And,
the medications taken by plan members with those conditions can also be a significant driver of the prescription drug costs. As mentioned we have programs available such as Onward by Best Doctors to help assist our plan members while they are on claim for mental health conditions. But it’s also important for employers to provide health and wellness support for employees who are still at work. RBC Insurance makes it easy for SME owners to do that, with our EAP, second opinion medical and wellness programs available at no additional cost. Through these programs, employees have access to counselling, referrals to community support, educational articles and videos, wellness challenges, targeted tips and advice, and much more. And, we are always exploring other options and new solutions we can implement to support the health of our plan members You have been with RBC for about 12 years: four years with RBC Insurance and eight years in HR for RBC. Throughout your career at RBC, what are some of the experiences that have stayed with you and helped you in the current role? Prior to joining RBC Insurance in 2014, I was with Human Resources at RBC for eight years. For most of my time spent in HR, I was responsible for our group benefits plan for employees and retirees in Canada as well as our wellness program globally. My accountabilities included design, financial management, and communication, for our group benefits and wellness programs for employees. Because of that experience, I'm keenly aware of the challenges faced by employers in overseeing and running a benefits program and I also came to understand many of the challenges our employees face as it relates to group benefits and leading a healthy lifestyle. I'm able to lean on that experience as I now lead
our group business and I can't help but always think about the client experience because I was on the client side for eight years. That experience helps inform our strategic focus as a business, and the service enhancements, new products and features we implement to help the lives of our clients – both employers and their employees. Before joining RBC, you were in clinical practice as a chiropractor for some time. How has your experience in the healthcare industry influenced how you lead the group benefits at RBC Insurance? In 2006, I was hired by RBC to help design and implement an employee wellness strategy. In 2006, there weren't too many employers who were thinking about that but RBC was progressive and recognized the importance of a robust wellness program for their employees. I was hired because of my experience in healthcare, and specifically my holistic view of health. When I was practicing chiropractic, one of my favourite parts of the job was one-onone counseling and the advice that I was able to provide to help patients recover from their injuries and lead a healthier lifestyle. When RBC hired me, it was a fantastic opportunity to take that passion from helping people oneon-one to helping people on a one-to-many basis because we are such a large employer. My experience in clinical practice made me acutely aware of the most common challenges faced by Canadians as it relates to leading a healthy lifestyle: exercising more regularly, eating healthy, and the struggles they face from a mental health perspective. I was able to lean on that experience as we designed our benefits and wellness programs for our employees at RBC, and that experience continues to influence the direction we take at RBC Insurance in providing meaningful group benefits programs to our clients.
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I CANADIANSME MAGAZINE I MAY 2019