AGENDA

4:00pm – 6:00pm

• (4:00pm – 6:00pm) Attendee Check-In

• (4:00pm – 6:00pm) Benefits Alliance Welcome Reception

Morning: 7:00am – 12:00pm

• (7:00am – 8:30am) Attendee Check-In

• (7:30am – 8:30am) NETWORKING BREAKFAST

• (8:30am – 8:45am) IGNITE Conference Opening –  Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance

• (8:45am – 9:45am) Panel Discussion: What you need to know that may impact plan members in 2025 and beyond

• Panel Hosts: Graham Young, CAPCORP and Chair of the Board, Benefits Alliance, Todd Stephen, Selectpath and Chair of BA Advocacy Committee and Gord Hart, Selectpath and Chair of BA Technology Committee
• Panel Members: Martin Papillon, President and Chief Executive Officer, AGA Benefit Solutions and Benefits Alliance Advocacy Committee Member, Jordan Paquet, Vice-President, Bluesky Strategy Group, Kate Julien, Director of Government Relations & Industry Affairs, Canada Life, Joe Whitney, AVP, Government Relations Canada, Manulife, Alyx Holland, Director, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Sun Life, James White, President & CEO, Wellmaster

   – (8:45am – 9:10am) The Pulse on Pharmacare – What you need to know and how you can make a difference –  Panel Host: Graham Young, CAPCORP and Chair of the Board, Benefits Alliance

   – (9:10am – 9:20am) Did You Know Virtual Care is at Risk? –  Panel Host: Todd Stephen, Selectpath and Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Benefits

   – (9:20am – 9:35am) METC (Medical Expense Tax Credit): Advocating to help Plan Sponsors implement Proactive & Preventative Health Strategies –  Panel Host: Gord Hart, Selectpath, Chair of the Technology Committee, Benefits Alliance

   – (9:35am – 9:45am) Your Voice Matters: What can you do when meeting with your plan sponsors to help plan members? –  Carolyne Eagan, President, Benefits Alliance and Todd Stephen, Selectpath and Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Benefits Alliance

• (9:45am – 10:15am) Navigating Advocacy and Education for Diabetics in Canada –  Glenn Thibeault, Diabetes Canada

• (10:15am – 10:45am) Obesity at Work: Tackling Bias, Reducing Costs, and Building a Healthier Workforce –  Dr. Sandy Van, Lifestyle 360 and Sandra Elia, The Food Addiction Recovery Program

• (10:45am – 11:15am) NETWORKING BREAK

• (11:15am – 11:50am) Panel Discussion –  Veronika Litinski, Pillcheck, Faizan Baig, OTIP and Gavin Mosley, Mosley Group Benefits:

   – Personalized medicine: A solution to the financial strain caused by ineffective therapies and the health burdens of adverse drug reactions.

Afternoon: 12:00pm – 5:00pm

• (11:50am – 12:30pm) Why Fertility Benefits Matters –  Tara Wood, Fertility Matters and Yafa Sakkejha, Beneplan

• (12:30pm – 1:30pm) NETWORKING LUNCH

• (1:30pm – 2:30pm) Why Cancer Matters: Practical Considerations for Advisors and Plan Sponsors –   Chris Bonnett , Ph. D. , H3 Consulting and Allan Smofsky, Smofsky Strategic Planning

• (2:30pm – 3:00pm) The Value of Drug Coverage: Sustainability and Access –  Joe Farago , Innovative Medicines Canada

• (3:00pm – 3:30pm) NETWORKING BREAK

• (3:30pm – 4:00pm) The Daily Dose: What’s different about 2025 drivers of drug spend? –   Martin Chung , Equitable Life

• (4:00pm – 4:30pm) Expensive Drugs for Rare Diseases (EDRDs) – How Insurance is Responding to the Risks –   Gary Walters , GroupHealth

• (4:30pm – 4:45pm) Panel Discussion:

   – A panel discussion including the three previous presenters, Joe Farago, Martin Chung and Gary Walters will follow. Get ready with your questions!

• (4:45pm – 5:00pm) Closing Comments

Evening: 5:00pm – 10:00pm

• (5:00pm – 6:30pm) BREAK – Time to get ready for the Gala!

• (6:30pm – 7:30pm) Benefits Alliance Gala Cocktail Hour

• (7:30pm – 10:00pm) Benefits Alliance Gala Dinner and Fun Begins