Canadian Life & Health Insurance Facts // 2024 Edition 15
Prescription drug claims grew 7 per cent in 2023
Supplementary health insurance plans provided 27 million people with access
to a wide range of prescription drugs, including specialty medications to treat
serious, chronic, and complex health conditions. Drug claims grew 7.1 per
cent in 2023 as both coverage and the number enrolled in workplace plans
increased. Drugs to treat inflammatory conditions, diabetes, asthma and COPD,
as well as depression accounted for over a third of all drug benefits paid.*
Insurers are making high-cost drugs
more affordable through pooling
Costing millions each year, the price of some
high-cost drugs can be a significant burden for
group benefit plans. That's why many CLHIA
members work together to spread these costs
over several plans through the Canadian Drug
Insurance Pooling Corporation (CDIPC).
CDIPC at a glance
• 15,000 Canadian employers are part of
the pool
• Each year, over 32,000 individuals whose drug
costs were +$10,000 benefited from the pool
• 38 new high-cost drugs were included in the
pool in 2022
Health Insurance
L I N E S O F B U S I N E S S
*Express Scripts. 2024 Drug trends report
