Innovative partnership connects Canadian employers with medical cannabis
Toronto, Ontario Canada (PRWEB) April 03, 2017 -- In the first partnership of it’s kind in Canada, a third-party administrator of group health benefits, Benefits by Design (BBD) Inc. has partnered with MedReleaf, Canada’s leading Licensed Producer of medical cannabis to launch a medical cannabis-only Health Care Spending Account.
Medical Cannabis is recognized and regulated by Health Canada under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) and it is a therapy of choice for over 130,000 Canadians currently registered as patients. In addition, medical cannabis is considered a medically-eligible expense by Canada Revenue Agency. However it is not currently covered under traditional group health benefit plans -largely because it lacks a Drug Identification Number (DIN).
In response, BBD has created a medical cannabis HCSA, a low-cost benefit solution that allows employers to respond to the needs of their staff, encourages use of regulated cannabis to treat conditions (as opposed to unregulated dispensaries), and generally enhance their existing plans to continue to attract and retain the best and brightest.
Read a case study outlining how this partnership is helping employers update their benefits plans to include the latest in prescribed medical treatments. https://www.bbd.ca/blog/medical-cannabis-case-study/
Benefits by Design (BBD) Inc.
Benefits by Design (BBD) Inc. is a third-party administrator of group health benefits and insurance, providing benefits for over 20 years via a national network of Advisors to over 4,000 Canadian organizations. Committed to helping working Canadians maintain good health and financial security, BBD is often recognized as an employer of choice, most recently qualifying as an “Employee Recommended Workplace” in the Globe and Mail/Morneau Shepell 2016 program. With offices in Port Coquitlam, Toronto, and Kingston Ontario, BBD provides customized benefit plans that meet the needs of any organization, no matter the size.
MedReleaf
MedReleaf sets The Medical Grade Standard™ for cannabis in Canada and around the world. The first and only ISO 9001 certified cannabis producer in North America, MedReleaf is a R&D-driven company dedicated to patient care, scientific innovation, research and advancing the understanding of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. Sourced from around the world and perfected in one of two state of the art facilities in Ontario, MedReleaf delivers a variety of premium products to patients seeking safe, consistent and effective medical cannabis. MedReleaf also offers Drug and Alcohol Policy Services to companies wanting to prepare to address medical cannabis accommodation requests.
For more information on MedReleaf, its products, research and how the company is helping patients #livefree, please visit MedReleaf.com or follow @medreleafcanada
For more information on this partnership:
Scott Southward
Managing Partner, East
Benefits by Design (BBD) Inc.
Toll free: 1.877.909.6811
Julie Einarson, BBD, http://www.bbd.ca, +1 613-530-2422, [email protected]
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