In Search of Alignment – Common Strategies for Employee and Public Health Benefits

Please join us for lunch on Thursday May 19th, 2016 at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel, 133 – 9 Ave. SW Calgary.

In times of economic downturn, companies face fiscal constraints that can create challenges for benefits plans and concerns for plan members and sponsors. This is a reality for many Southern Alberta employers. This session will focus on strategies to increase the sustainability of benefit plans. It will provide insight into the value and importance of a plan charter to set the health benefit direction and share parallel lessons from public health care plans, with a special focus on drug benefits. Plan sponsors will learn tactical knowledge and common strategies to assist in collaboration and alignment between their health and benefit plan and public policy. 

CE CREDITS PENDING

Guest Speakers 

Steve Long, BSc(Pharm), MBA S. C. Long Consulting Ltd. Steve has broad experience in pharmacy services and health care. He started his career in hospital pharmacy and took on increasing responsibility in management and direction of services, progressing to Director, Pharmacy Services, and Calgary Health Region. From hospital pharmacy, Steve moved to take on the challenge of managing drug policy and programs for the Government of Alberta. During his five year tenure with Alberta Health, Steve was instrumental in reshaping pharmacy compensation and reimbursement to better align with expanded scope of practice and in streamlining review processes to improve access to drugs funded through provincial programs. As the former National Director, Public Policy, for Shoppers Drug Mart, Steve developed a better understanding of the business of pharmacy.

In the National Director role, he anticipated and interpreted public policy directions of governments to advise the SDM senior management on strategies to attain business certainty and to help them evolve the role of pharmacists in the health care system. In 2013, Steve created S. C. Long Consulting Ltd. to offer consultation and advice to others seeking to better understand pharmaceutical policy and the Canadian health system.  Steve also works as a Senior Associate with the Health and Life Sciences group of Global Public Affairs from their Calgary Office. 

Shandy Reed, BSW, MSc. Division Manager - Health Strategies & Stakeholder Engagement As the Division Manager for Health Strategies & Stakeholder Engagement with ASEBP, Shandy supports ASEBP’s ongoing efforts to engage and support relationships with ASEBP’s stakeholders including organizational parent bodies, school jurisdiction and employer group leadership, government and its agencies and other identified plan partners. Supporting strategic health initiatives and overseeing ASEBP’s organizational communications are also part of her role. Prior to joining ASEBP, Shandy coordinated a provincial advocacy coalition focused on healthy public policies, and co-led many health strategies within both the provincial and federal government.

Shandy has a degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary, a Master of Science degree in Health Promotion at the University of Alberta and an Advanced Executive Certificate in General Management from Queens University.