One of the biggest missed opportunities in Canadian benefits isn’t plan design — it’s awareness. Employers often assume that if a program exists, employees will naturally find it and use it. But when it comes to prescription savings tools like RxHelp, that’s rarely the case. Most employees don’t know these programs exist, and even fewer understand how simple they are to use. The result? Higher out-of-pocket costs for employees and higher drug claims for employers.

For HR leaders, educating employees about RxHelp is one of the most effective cost-management strategies available — and one of the easiest to implement.

Start With Clear, Simple Messaging

The first step is demystifying what RxHelp actually is. Many employees assume it’s a reimbursement program or something complicated to apply for. In reality, registration takes minutes and the savings show up immediately at the pharmacy counter. Your internal communication should answer four basic questions: what RxHelp is, who it’s for, how it saves money, and where employees can sign up.

You don’t need a long campaign to make an impact. Sometimes a single, well-timed Slack announcement or onboarding module is enough to spark adoption across your team.

Make RxHelp Part of the Onboarding Experience

New hires are the most engaged they’ll ever be with your benefits information. That early window is the perfect time to introduce programs like RxHelp so employees understand from day one how to reduce their medication costs.

Include a simple explainer in your onboarding package, add a link inside your HRIS or benefits hub, and — if possible — provide a short visual showing how to use the program at the pharmacy. When RxHelp appears alongside core benefits information, it becomes part of the culture rather than an afterthought.

Empower Managers and Team Leads

Managers often hear about financial stress long before HR does. They’re also the people employees turn to when they’re not sure where to find answers. Giving managers a basic understanding of RxHelp enables them to guide employees toward support without needing deep benefits expertise.

A short internal briefing or one-page resource is usually enough to equip your leaders with the confidence to point employees in the right direction.

Host Short, Practical Lunch-and-Learns

A brief, 10–15 minute session can go a long way. Keep it simple: explain why prescription costs are rising, how RxHelp works alongside your benefits plan, and what employees need to do to register. Walking through a live demo can be especially impactful — it shows how quick the process really is and removes the fear of complexity.

These sessions help reinforce that RxHelp isn’t “extra work” for employees. It’s a tool designed to make life easier.

Build a Central Prescription Savings Hub

Employees shouldn’t have to dig through old emails or Slack threads to find these tools. Creating a simple “Prescription Savings” section inside your HRIS or benefits hub gives your team a single place to find everything they need — RxHelp links, FAQs, short videos, and information about related resources like InnoviCares, provincial programs, and patient support programs.

This kind of centralized access dramatically improves usage because it removes friction.

Track Engagement and Improve Over Time

As with any benefits communication strategy, the best results come when you measure what employees actually respond to. Keep an eye on which messages get clicks, which channels drive the most engagement, and how often managers are directing employees to these programs.

If you’re working with Orchard Benefits, we can help monitor adoption trends and build customized communication plans to make sure your employees get the full value of these tools.

RxHelp is a Financial Win

Educating your team about RxHelp isn’t just a communication win — it’s a financial win for both employees and employers. A few simple changes can dramatically reduce out-of-pocket costs, strengthen your overall benefits strategy, and relieve pressure on your drug plan. When employees know how to access the support available to them, everyone benefits.