EquiNet Equitable Life's advisor site

Site Search

632 results for access link PROBLEMGO.com how much to make customs overlook a violation

  1. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – February 2022 In this issue: *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients

    Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
    Four originator biologics added to Alberta Biosimilar Initiative

    In 2022, Alberta’s provincial drug plan is adding four originator biologics to its Biosimilar Initiative. It has ended or will end provincial coverage of these drugs for some or all conditions, as follows:
    • Lovenox: Jan. 10, 2022
    • Humalog: Feb. 1, 2022
    • NovoRapid: April 1, 2022
    • Humira: May 1, 2022

    Patients 18 and over who are using these drugs for the affected conditions will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of the drugs to maintain coverage under the province’s government drug plan.

    How we are responding to protect our clients
    To help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans while still providing plan members with access to safe and effective medications, we will no longer cover these originator biologic drugs for plan members in Alberta.

    Effective May 1, 2022, claimants currently taking these drugs will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.

    This is a continuation of the Alberta biosimilar switch program we launched last March, when the province first introduced its Biosimilar Initiative.

    Do my clients need to take any action?
    No action is required by plan sponsors. Plan members taking these targeted originator biologics will be contacted directly to allow them ample time to transition to a biosimilar. Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.

    Groups that opted out of the biologic coverage changes we made last March will automatically be opted out of these coverage changes, as well as any future changes to our Alberta biosimilar switch program. This means that their drug plans will continue to provide coverage to existing claimants for any originator biologics we stop covering as part of our biosimilar program.

    Advisors with clients who wish to opt out of our Alberta biosimilar program, or who previously opted out and want to opt back in, should speak to their Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    Communication to plan members
    We will be communicating these coverage changes with affected claimants in early March to allow them ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage. Thus far, the transition to biosimilars, has been smooth and continues to be successful.

    What is the difference between biologics and biosimilars?
    Biologics are drugs that are engineered using living organisms like yeast and bacteria. The first version of a biologic developed is known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are also biologics. Biosimilars are highly similar to the drugs they are based on and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions.

    Questions?
    If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    Preferred Biosimilar Program*

    As part of our ongoing efforts to help ensure the sustainability of your clients’ drug plans, we continue to engage in strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers. 

    We are pleased to announce a partnership to make Hyrimoz our preferred biosimilar for Humira. This partnership will generate additional savings for plan sponsors.

    Plan members will still have the choice to use Humira biosimilars other than Hyrimoz. However, in the absence of alternative sources of reimbursement, this may increase their out-of-pocket amount.

    The Preferred Biosimilar Program will take effect March 1, 2022 for all new claimants across Canada who start using a Humira biosimilar. It will take effect May 1 for existing claimants in Alberta who switch to a Humira biosimilar, to align with changes to the provincial plan.

    Questions?
    If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy

    Last year, the Quebec government announced it is phasing out coverage of biologic drugs. Beginning April 13, 2022, patients in Quebec using originator biologics will be required to switch to the corresponding biosimilar covered on the province’s public plan in order to maintain coverage.

    The following populations are excepted from this new policy:
    • Pregnant women, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after childbirth.
    • Pediatric patients, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after their 18th birthdays.
    • Patients who have experienced two or more therapeutic failures while being treated with a biologic drug for the same chronic disease.
    Biosimilars are highly similar to the drugs they are based on and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions.

    We are actively investigating the impact of this new policy on private drug plans in Quebec. We plan to implement further enhancements to our biosimilar programs in Quebec later this year to help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans. We will provide more details in the coming months.

    Dental fee guide updates

    Each year, Provincial and Territorial Dental Associations publish fee guides. Equitable Life uses these guides to help determine the reimbursement limits for dental procedures. For your reference, below is the list of the average dental fee increases for general practitioners that will be used by Equitable Life for 2022.*

    Dental fee guide increases over 2021*
    Province/Territory Average Fee Increase
    Alberta 3.9%
    British Columbia 7.35%
    Manitoba 5.79%
    New Brunswick 5.9%
    Newfoundland and Labrador 5%
    Nova Scotia 7.05%
    Northwest Territories 3%
    Nunavut 3.1%
    Ontario 4.75%
    Prince Edward Island 4.75%
    Quebec 5%
    Saskatchewan 5.99%
    *Data for all provinces and territories was not available at the time of publication. This chart will be updated on EquitableHealth.ca as more information becomes available.
     

    Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*

    If your client’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) has manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Please review all your plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year.
     
    If your clients have Plan Administrator update access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can update these amounts online by doing the following:
    • Select “View certificate”
    • Select “Health Care Spending Account” or “Taxable Spending Account”
    • Select “Update Allocation” in Task Center
    • Enter amount in “Revised Allocation Amount”
    • Override Reason – “Plan Administrator Request”
    • Select “Save”
    If your clients have Plan Administrator reporting access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can determine which plan members have a zero allocation by running the “HCSA Totals by Plan Member” report online by doing the following:
    • Select “Reports”
    • Select “New”
    • Select “Next”
    • Select “HCSA” or “TSA Totals by Plan Member”
    • Select “Next”
    • Enter end date of “12/31/2020”
    • Select “Next”
    • Select “Finish”
    • View “Report”
    To provide us with the amounts to be updated, please have your client contact our Group Benefits Administration Team at GroupBenefitsAdmin@equitable.ca.

    Mental health resources for plan members*

    As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, many Canadians are experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Through our partnership with Homewood Health®, all of our clients and their plan members have access to a number of health and wellness resources designed to provide guidance and support. These resources include a number of webinars which discuss various COVID-19 and mental health-related topics. The webinars are pre-recorded so plan members can stream them at their convenience.
     
    Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Mental Health
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Loneliness & Isolation Fatigue - Self-Care Strategies 
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    Reducing Anxiety & Managing the Transition Back to the Classroom - for Teachers
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Specialized Mental Health Support for Health Care Professionals
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Supporting Children’s Mental Health
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    Additional resources, including articles, tools, videos and podcasts, are available at Homeweb.ca/Equitable. Please encourage your clients to share these resources with their plan members.
     
  2. Homewood Health COVID-19 Resources

    As the COVID-19 situation continues to rapidly evolve, you may need  information from a trusted source to support your clients, their organizations and their employees.

    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 a number of tools and resources designed to provide guidance and support.

    Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

    For plan members dealing with increased anxiety during these uncertain times, Homewood’s Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tool, i-Volve, can help. Through self-paced, web-based therapy, i-Volve can help plan members identify, challenge and overcome anxious thoughts, behaviours and emotions.

    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.

    Learn more about Online CBT or access i-Volve at Homeweb.ca/Equitable.

    COVID-19 Support Resources

    Drawing on their expertise in mental health, as well as guidance from trusted sources including Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization, Homewood has created a number of resources to help support your clients and their plan members.

    ​​If you have any questions, or wish to discuss the tools, please reach out directly to Homewood. They are here to help support you, your clients and their employees through these unprecedented times. Contact your Homewood Health Account Manager or Homewood’s Customer Experience Team by phone at 1.833.375.0270 or email customersupport@homewoodhealth.com
  3. [pdf] First Home Savings Account
  4. Benefits and Key features
  5. Important cybersecurity readiness guidance As an advisor, you collect and store clients’ sensitive personal information. Protecting this information is essential. In July 2023, the Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organization (CISRO) released a guide on Cybersecurity Readiness. It includes tips on keeping this sensitive client data and your business systems safe. 

    Please read the guide in full. Also, check your own practices to be cyber ready and reduce your risk of an incident. 

    Some key tips in the guide include:

    1. Make cybersecurity a priority: Stay alert to cyber threats. These can be suspicious emails, texts or calls. Make sure your team knows how to keep your data and systems safe and has clear, documented processes to follow.

    2. Know what to protect: Understand what data and business systems need to be protected. 

    3. Identify the risks: Spot the risks in your practice and those from third-party service providers.

    4. Implement security measures: Take steps to protect your data and business systems.


    5. Be ready to respond: Know how to spot and react to cyber incidents. The guide has useful tips on creating a Cyber Incident Response Plan.

    And lastly – if you receive client instructions electronically (by email, text, or messaging apps), always confirm these over the phone to ensure it’s really the client sending the instructions.

    Keep your business and important client data safe by staying informed and alert. We encourage you to read the full  Cybersecurity Readiness document to learn more about how to prepare for cyber threats.

    In our industry, protecting clients’ sensitive data and systems is essential. Thank you for your commitment to cybersecurity!

    ® or TM denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
  6. Tax impacts of the Canadian Dental Care Plan for your clients

    Tax impacts of the Canadian Dental Care Plan for your clients*


    Earlier this year, the government shared its progress on the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). 

    The CDCP will be available to Canadians with an annual family income of less than $90,000 who do not have dental benefits. Co-pays will be waived for eligible Canadians with a family income of less than $70,000. 

    Canadians who have access to private dental coverage are not eligible for the CDCP. This means that your clients must now report on T4s/T4As if dental coverage** was available on December 31 of the reporting tax year for:
    • Employees,
    • Employees’ spouses and/or dependents,
    • Former employees, and
    • Spouses of deceased employees.
    **Potential dental coverage includes Health Care Spending Accounts.

    This new tax reporting requirement is mandatory starting with the 2023 tax year. Employee tax slips will include new boxes for employers to complete:
    • Box 45 (T4): Employer Offered Dental Benefits. This new box will be mandatory.
    • Box 015 (T4A): Payer Offered Dental Benefits. This new box will be mandatory if plan sponsors report in Box 016, Pension or Superannuation. The box will otherwise be optional.
    Your clients should complete the boxes using the code system below. They should choose the appropriate code based on whether Dental coverage was available to the plan member – not whether the plan member has chosen to participate in the coverage.  For example, if a plan member has waived coverage or has chosen not to participate in the plan, they would still have access to coverage.
    • Code 1: The plan member has no access to dental care insurance or coverage of dental services of any kind.
    • Code 2: Only the plan member has access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind.
    • Code 3: The plan member, their spouse and their dependents have access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind. 
    • Code 4: Only the plan member and their spouse have access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind. 
    • Code 5: Only the plan member and their dependents have access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind. 
    Your clients can find further information about completing tax slips for employees on the Canada Revenue Agency’s website:

    Reports for dependents

    We have a report available for plan members who have enrolled their dependents in benefits coverage. Your clients can contact their local service team representative to receive a copy of the report. We are working to make it available on our Advisor and PA websites.
     

    Questions

    For guidance on your tax slips and reporting obligations, please encourage your clients to contact their accountant, payroll provider or tax advisor.
     

    Supporting plan members affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict*


    Traumatic events continue to unfold in the Middle East. Enduring ongoing news of conflict and suffering could challenge many Canadians. During this difficult time, Equitable encourages affected clients and plan members to access the mental health support they need. 


    Support available to all Equitable plan members

    Large-scale traumatic news events can cause people to experience intense reactions. This puts a lot of strain 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.  
     

    Support available to plan members with the Homewood Health EFAP

    For your clients that have purchased Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), remind them that 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 and their dependent family members will receive appropriate, timely support for the issue they’re dealing with. 
      

    Questions? 

    If you need more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex account executive.

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients. 
  7. [pdf] B2B RSP Loan Product Brochure
  8. New Online Policy Loan Form
    Advisors will now have access to a new digital policy loan form on EquiNet™.

    On eligible policies, you can launch a customized policy loan form through the Values tab in Policy Inquiry. (login required)

    This form is quick and intuitive. You tell us the loan amount, how your client wants to receive the funds, then confirm your client’s contact info and submit! Once your client signs, it is sent for review and processing within our current service standards.

    This is the first form to be digitalized and we plan to continue this work with more forms later this year.


    ® and ™ denotes trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
  9. EZtransact Training and Resources
  10. [pdf] G2 - Application for Change