iAtoday

In an opinion piece published in Benefits and Pensions Monitor, Frédéric Leblanc, Pharmacist and Strategic Lead, Products and Drugs Programs, makes the following point: Prevention must become a strategic lever in the design of group insurance plans.

Read the article

Drawing on concrete data, he highlights a paradox: despite the recognized effectiveness of vaccination, a significant proportion of plan members still do not have access to it through their group insurance plans.

His analysis refocuses the debate on the tangible benefits for plan sponsors: incorporating vaccination helps reduce absences due to preventable illnesses, limit costly complications and ease long-term financial pressure on the plans. Frédéric notes, in particular, that several conditions, such as pneumonia or shingles, result in prolonged absences that are largely preventable through vaccination.

He also demonstrates that treating vaccines as an optional benefit deprives plans of a simple, proven tool for improving overall performance: fewer disabilities, fewer hospitalizations and increased productivity through reduced absenteeism and work interruptions.

With new vaccines on the horizon, including one for Lyme disease, Frédéric urges decision-makers to act now: incorporate vaccination into basic health coverage, simplify access to it and eliminate administrative barriers.

His message is clear: investing in prevention is an informed decision that directly benefits plan members and ensures the long-term financial sustainability of the plans.

We will be sending out a communiqué to group insurance plan administrators on July 20 (French version).

Would you like to help your clients optimize their coverage and take full advantage of preventive care? Talk to your iA Financial Group Account Executive.