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Supporting plan members affected by the British Columbia and Northwest Territories wildfires
Wildfires across Canada are disrupting the lives of many Canadians. During this difficult time, Equitable Life is providing additional support to help affected clients and plan members.
Prescription refills
Plan members who have been evacuated and/or lost their medication due to the wildfires will be able to make early refills until September 17, 2023, through TELUS Health, our pharmacy benefit manager.
Replacement of medical or dental equipment and appliances
Plan members who need to replace eligible medical or dental equipment or appliances due to the wildfires should first call 1.800.265.4556 to confirm coverage.
Disability or other benefit cheques
Plan members receiving disability benefits or other benefit reimbursements via cheques can visit www.equitable.ca/go/digital for instructions on how to sign up for direct deposit. It just takes a few minutes. Plan members can also call us at 1.800.265.4556 if they need help, a replacement cheque or assistance arranging a different mailing address.
Mental health support
Unpredictable, large-scale natural disasters can cause people to experience intense reactions, putting a lot of pressure on their mental health. Having coping mechanisms to deal with the current crisis can be a huge help. Any Equitable Life plan member who needs mental health support can visit Homeweb.ca/equitable to access online resources or contact Homewood at 1.888.707.2115.
For plan sponsors who have purchased Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), their plan members also have access to confidential counselling services. The EFAP provides plan members with 24/7 access to confidential counselling through a national network of mental health professionals. Whether it’s face-to-face, by phone, email, chat or video, plan members will receive the most appropriate, most timely support for the issue they’re dealing with.
Plan Administrator support
We realize that the fires are having a profound impact on regular business operations in B.C. and N.W.T. If you have clients that are unable to carry out day-to-day plan administration, they can call us at 1.800.265.4556. They can also contact their Customer Relationship Specialist for support.
This is a challenging time for advisors, plan sponsors and plan members. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional updates as appropriate.Questions?
If you need more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
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Claims payments and notifications will go fully digital on July 1, 2023
We are committed to providing a better benefits experience. We have secure and convenient digital options to make it easier for plan members to access and use their benefits plan, including EquitableHealth.ca and the EZClaim Mobile app.
Most plan members are already using these tools to set up email claim notifications and direct deposit. They get their claim updates faster and their claims paid more quickly, right into their bank account.
To help ensure that all plan members benefit from faster claim payments and notifications, we are making these services fully digital as of July 1, 2023. That means, in most cases, we will no longer mail paper claim cheques or explanation of benefits (EOB) notifications.**
Plan members who haven’t already activated direct deposit and email notifications will need to activate these services via their plan member account on EquitableHealth.ca.How we’ll help plan members get set up
Fortunately, it’s simple for plan members to set up these features. And it only takes a few minutes. To make it even easier, we’ve created a Plan Member Guide to Getting Started Online. It includes simple instructions to help plan members use our digital features and get the most from their benefits plan.
We have also created a toolkit that plan administrators can email to their plan members to walk them through the simple steps. Access the toolkit here.
And we’re available to guide plan members who may need help. They can call us at 1.800.265.4556 and select “Plan Member Web Support”. Our Client Care Centre Team is happy to help them activate these services.How we’ll communicate with plan members
We will start communicating this change to plan members in April. For plan members who aren’t taking advantage of these convenient features, we will send them an email to let them know about the change, with instructions and support on getting set up.
We will also include an insert with all mailings of paper cheques and EOB notifications sent out. And we will post an announcement and banner on EquitableHealth.ca to let plan members know about the change.
How we’ll support plan members who need extra help or accommodations
After July 1, 2023, we will follow up with plan members who have not yet activated direct deposit or email notifications for their claims and provide any extra help and support they may need. And, of course, we’ll make exceptions for plan members who aren’t willing or reasonably able to use these features.Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
** Disability claimants will continue to receive paper Explanation of Benefits notifications in the mail. Some pay-direct drug claims will also continue to be paid by cheque. - [pdf] Choice, flexibility, guarantees (Which plan type is right for you?)
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Easier group enrolment and more group benefits updates
Make enrolment easier for your clients with online plan member enrolment (OPME)
Enrolling new plan members can be overwhelming – for both you, your clients and their employees. It’s time-consuming to manually load new members and challenging to ensure they complete the necessary paperwork before the enrolment deadline.
Our Online Plan Member Enrolment (OPME) tool is available at no extra cost for all your Equitable Life clients and offers a more secure and efficient alternative to traditional paper enrolment. Using their computer or mobile device, employees can enrol in their benefits plan in just minutes.
The user-friendly tool allows plan members to easily enter all their enrolment information, including:- Dependent details
- Banking information for direct deposit of claim payments
- Details for coordination of benefits
- Beneficiary designation
The days of chasing plan members for their paper enrolment forms are gone. Once plan administrators enter a few employee details, our system automatically sends an email to each plan member, inviting them to enrol in their benefits program. And there will be no need for your clients to send reminders or follow up with employees about their benefits enrolment. It’s all done automatically.Support with using OPME
To learn more about the benefits of using OPME, check out our Online Plan Member Enrolment Flyer. We also encourage you to share more information with your clients: We also have helpful reference guides for plan members, to help them use the tool:- Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
- myFlex Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
Help your clients spend less time administering group benefits. Contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager to learn more about our online plan member enrolment.
Coming soon: A survey to help us serve your clients better*
We are committed to providing your clients and their plan members with industry-leading service. We’ve introduced several enhancements over the past year to make it easier to do business with us. And we’re continually looking for ways to improve.
This month, we will conduct a survey of your clients to help us understand how we can better serve them. Plan administrators will receive an email with a link to the survey, which will take between five and 10 minutes to complete.
Please encourage your clients to participate. Their feedback will be confidential, and their responses will help us improve our service and ensure we’re meeting their expectations. We will also allow them to provide their name so that we can follow up with them to address any concerns they’ve identified.
We know your clients’ time is valuable. So, each plan administrator who completes the survey will be entered into a random draw for a chance to win one of 3 prepaid gift cards for $200.
Improved mental assessment features for FeelingBetterNow®*
Mensante has enhanced its FeelingBetterNow® online platform to make it easier for plan members to assess the state of their mental health and talk to their health care provider about treatment options. FeelingBetterNow is part of our Equitable HealthConnector suite of wellness solutions and is available for an additional cost. It can help plan members easily identify if they are at risk for a number of common mental health issues, including depression, anxiety and substance abuse.Upgrades to the platform include:
- New features to help plan members better gauge their progress in the assessment.
- A printable Action Plan that plan members can share with their health care provider to initiate conversations about managing their mental health challenges.
- A new “follow-up” module to help plan members assess the care they’ve received from their health care provider and identify care gaps.
- An Assessment Outcome Page, which allows plan members to view their diagnostic risks across mental health disorders for a more holistic picture of their health.
Over-age dependants losing coverage?*
Your clients’ plan members may have dependants approaching the maximum age for eligibility under their group benefits plan. If so, members should be aware of their options for dependant coverage.Coverage for full-time students and dependants with disabilities
The dependants of your clients’ plan members may be eligible to continue their coverage under the current plan if:- The dependant is attending a post-secondary school full-time; or
- The dependant is disabled.
Coverage2go for over-age dependants
Dependants who aren’t eligible for continued coverage under the plan can apply for Coverage2go®, a month-to-month health and dental plan for individuals losing their group coverage.**
Coverage2go is affordable, reliable and allows the over-age dependants to choose the level of coverage and protection that suits their personal situation. With no medical questions required as long as they apply within 60 days of losing their coverage, your clients’ plan members can ensure that their over-age dependants have the coverage they need.
Plan members can receive a quote within minutes. Please direct your clients to Coverage2go on Equitable.ca to learn more.
**Quebec residents are not eligible for Coverage2go.Forfeiture reports for HCSAs and TSAs on EquitableHealth.ca*
As a reminder, your clients can access forfeiture reports for their Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Taxable Spending Account (TSA) usage on EquitableHealth.ca.HCSA summary by plan member
HCSA summary reports provide an overview of each plan member’s account activity and balances. These reports include the total amounts allocated, the amount claimed to date, the net balance, and the amount of funds that will be forfeited based on claims paid to date. Please note that plan members’ claim submissions will remain confidential and will not be viewable by the employer on this summary.
Your clients can provide each plan member with their HCSA summary, if they wish.HCSA account forfeiture by plan member
HCSA forfeiture reports detail the amount that each member will forfeit if they do not use it. The amount is based on claims that have been paid to date within the benefit year period.HCSA account totals by plan member
Your clients may wish to access the HCSA account totals reports, which reflect the information in each plan member’s HCSA summary report. For terminated employees, the Funds Available field will display as zero, regardless of the balance in the account when terminated.
At least three months before the end of the benefits period, your clients should remind their members to use their allocated HCSA and TSA amounts.
If your clients need help accessing these reports, they can reach out to their Regional Office Service team for assistance.
* Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
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Short-term disability coverage for plan members in quarantine or self-isolation*
Please note: This announcement applies only to groups with short-term disability coverage through Equitable Life
With the spread of COVID-19, many people have been instructed to self-isolate or quarantine themselves or are doing so voluntarily. We realize this is a stressful situation for people and they may be wondering if they are eligible for disability benefits. Short-term disability is designed to replace a plan member’s earnings if they are unable to work due to illness and injury. As a result, only plan members who meet the following criteria are eligible for benefits:
- Plan members who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unable to work from home are eligible for coverage from Day 1 of their self-isolation period.
- Plan members who have not been tested but have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and are unable to work from home, are eligible for coverage. Claims will be assessed according to the terms of the plan.
Plan members who are in quarantine for any other reason, but do not have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, are not eligible for coverage. These plan members should consider applying for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, if they do not have an option to work from home.
Submitting COVID-19-related STD claims
To make things easier for plan members who need to submit claims related to COVID-19, we will not require a physician’s statement. Instead plan members should submit our simplified Short Term Disability Plan Member COVID-19 Claim Form.
Plan Administrators need to complete their portion of the regular Short Term Disability Form (Form #421).
This is a temporary process that will remain in effect through the current coronavirus situation. We will update on changes and share them on EquitableHealth.ca.
Applying for the Employment Insurance sickness benefit
Canadians quarantined due to COVID-19, who are not receiving Short Term Disability benefits, can apply for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits. The one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits has been waived. Service Canada’s dedicated toll-free support number is 1-833-381-2725 or (TTY) 1-800-529-3742.
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Mental health support for all plan members
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many Canadians are dealing with increased stress and anxiety. Now, more than ever, plan members need easy to access resources to help them cope with these uncertain times.
Through our partnership with Homewood Health®, the Canadian leader in mental health and addiction services, all of our clients and their plan members have access to tools designed to provide guidance and support, including i-Volve, Homewood’s Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tool.
Proven therapy, at your own pace
Included with Homewood Online resources in every Equitable Life® plan, i-Volve can help plan members identify, challenge and overcome anxious thoughts, behaviours and emotions. It encourages incremental changes in behaviour and is proven to be an effective therapeutic approach for dealing with mild to moderate anxiety or depression. Plan members work at their own pace through a series of web-based exercises, ultimately helping to change the ways in which they think, feel and react in various situations.
Free for all Equitable Life plan members
All Equitable Life clients and their plan members have access to i-Volve. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, wherever you choose to access it.
Contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager to learn more about Homewood Health and i-Volve Online CBT. -
Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – October 2020
In this issue:
- Group benefits enrolment just got a lot easier*
- Critical Illness added to myFlex Benefits® selection tool**
- ASO dental available down to 3 lives
- QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2021*
*Indicates content that will be shared with your clients
**Indicates content that will be shared with myFlex Benefits groups onlyGroup benefits enrolment just got a lot easier*
Our Online Plan Member Enrolment tool now makes it simple to add new employees to the benefits plan.
Enrolling new plan members can be overwhelming – for both you, your clients and their employees. It’s challenging to ensure plan members complete the necessary paperwork before the enrolment deadline, and time consuming to manually load new members.
That’s why we’re updating our plan member enrolment experience. Beginning November 2nd, 2020, all Equitable Life groups will be able to easily enrol new employees in the benefits plan with our Online Plan Member Enrolment Tool.
Benefits of Online Plan Member Enrolment
Our Online Plan Member Enrolment tool offers a more secure and efficient option to traditional paper enrolment. Employees are able to enrol in their benefits plan in just minutes from their computer or mobile device.
The user-friendly interface was built with the plan member in mind. They can easily enter all their enrolment information, including dependent details, banking information for direct deposit of claim payments and details for coordination of benefits. They can even designate their beneficiary electronically.
The online enrolment tool also lessens the effort for plan administrators to onboard new hires. The tool reduces errors and rework that can occur due to spelling mistakes or missing information on paper forms. And the days of chasing plan members for their paper enrolment forms are gone. Once they enter a few employee details, our system will automatically send out an email to each plan member, inviting them to enrol in their benefits program. And there will be no need to send reminders or follow up with employees about their benefits enrolment. It’s all done automatically.
Online plan member enrolment is available to all traditional and myFlex Benefits plan administrators with update access beginning November 2nd, 2020. Plan administrators just choose “New” from the “Certificate” view in EquitableHealth.ca to get started.
This enhancement is for plan administrators who have update access on EquitableHealth.ca. If your clients are not sure if they have update access, they can contact their Equitable Life Client Relationship Specialist or myFlex Benefits Team for support.
Learn More
We’ve created Online Plan Member Enrolment User Guides to support your clients and their plan members with this new tool:
- Online Plan Member Enrolment 1-page flyer
- Plan Member Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
- myFlex Plan Member Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
We’re also offering a series of webinars to help your clients learn about Online Plan Member Enrolment. Plan administrators will receive an invitation with links to register for the time that best suits their schedule.
Help your clients spend less time administering group benefits. Contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager to learn more about our enhanced online plan member enrolment.
Critical Illness added to myFlex Benefits selection tool*
For many employers, mandatory Critical Illness (CI) coverage is an important part of their group benefits package. It provides proactive protection against life-altering illness, helping give plan members and their families a sense of security.
While CI is available on myFlex Benefits plans, it was not built into our benefits selection tool since there is no action required by the plan member.
Beginning November 2nd, 2020, we are adding a CI page to the myFlex Benefits selection tool that appears when this coverage is included as part of the plan. There are no options to choose – plan members simply review their CI coverage and carry on with the benefits selection process. It keeps the process smooth, while ensuring plan members fully appreciate their employer’s contributions.
Adding CI to the benefits selection tool also simplifies the budgeting process for employers. Now that CI is included in the selection tool, employers no longer need to break out the amount billed for CI from their contribution per employee when loading flex allocations.
To learn more about our myFlex Benefits selection tool or Critical Illness coverage for myFlex Benefits, contact your myFlex Sales Manager.
ASO dental available down to 3 lives
Beginning November 2nd, 2020, groups with as few as three full-time employees will be able to self-insure their Equitable Life dental benefits with an Administrative Services Only (ASO) funding arrangement.
Currently, dental benefits are only available on an ASO basis for groups with 20 lives or more.
In an ASO arrangement, Equitable Life administers the benefits plan but does not insure it. The plan sponsor pays for all eligible claims, as well as the expenses of administering the plan.
Why ASO?
Choosing an ASO funding arrangement allows plan sponsors to save on premiums. With a traditional insured funding arrangement, a portion of every premium dollar includes a charge for the risk that the insurer is assuming to cover the claims.
With an ASO arrangement, the plan sponsor assumes all risk, so they avoid the risk charge. And since dental claims are usually more predictable than other benefits, there is typically less risk involved in covering those claims.
For more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2021*
Every year, the Quebec Drug Insurance Pooling Corporation (QDIPC) reviews the terms and conditions for the high-cost pooling system in the province. Based on its latest review, QDIPC is revising its pooling levels and fees for 2021 to reflect trends in the volume of claims submitted to the pool, particularly catastrophic claims.
Size of group (# of certificates) Threshold per certificate 2021 Annual factor (without dependents) Annual factor (with dependents) Fewer than 25 $8,000 $251.00 $691.00 25 - 49 $16,500 $165.00 $455.00 50 - 124 $32,500 $94.00 $258.00 125 - 249 $47,500 $68.00 $187.00 250 - 499 $72,000 $49.00 $135.00 500 - 999 $95,000 $40.00 $111.00 1,000 - 3,999 $120,000 $35.00 $95.00 4,000 - 5,999 $300,000 $16.00 $44.00 6,000 and over Free market - Groups not subject to Quebec Industry Pooling Free market - Groups not subject to Quebec Industry Pooling Free market - Groups not subject to Quebec Industry Pooling We will apply the new pooling levels and fees to future renewal calculations that involve Quebec plan members.