21 min listen
The rise in exclusive deals between insurers and pharmacies
FromThe Decibel
ratings:
Length:
22 minutes
Released:
Feb 28, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Exclusive deals struck between insurance companies and pharmacies are increasingly drawing scrutiny from patients, pharmacists and cabinet ministers. The arrangements, known as preferred pharmacy networks (PPNs), are meant to deal with rising prices of pharmaceutical drugs. But detractors say these plans mean less transparency, competition and consumer choice.The Globe’s retailing reporter Susan Krashinsky Robertson and wealth management and insurance reporter Clare O’Hara explain why the blowback against PPNs is rooted in questions about who gets to approve treatment for patients.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Released:
Feb 28, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Thinking through Quebec’s unvaxxed tax: Quebec is the first jurisdiction in Canada to propose a ‘health contribution’ tax for people who choose not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This has sparked a debate about whether some government pandemic measures are going too far into the realm of being punitive. Dr. Devon Greyson, an assistant professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, has been studying vaccine hesitancy since 2015. They break down the ethical considerations of this controversial piece of proposed public health policy. Editor’s note: An earlier version of this text misidentified Dr. Greyson as an associate professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. by The Decibel