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5. [pdf] Build Your Business - Fully funding a client’s First Home Savings Account
6. April 2023 eNews

   Vision care discounts from Bailey Nelson for Equitable Life plan members*

   We are pleased to announce we are partnering with Bailey Nelson to provide Equitable Life plan members with discounts on prescription and non-prescription eyewear. Bailey Nelson is a leading provider of prescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses with locations across Canada, as well as an online store.
    
   All Equitable Life plan members will have access to the following discounts from Bailey Nelson:
   
   
   *Includes anti-reflection and anti-scratch treatment. Glasses offers are based on 2 pairs of single vision or 1 pair of premium progressive lenses. Lens add-ons, such as high-index lenses and prescription tinted lens tints may involve additional costs.
   
   **Non-prescription glasses only. Cannot be combined with 2 for $200 discount.
    
   Plan members can provide their Equitable Life discount code in-store or at online checkout. Your clients may wish to distribute this convenient flyer with an overview of the available discounts to their plan members.
    
   Plan members can bring their prescription to a Bailey Nelson location or provide it online to order glasses and contact lenses. Bailey Nelson also provides eye exams in-store for $99.
    
   If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
    

   Equitable Life helps tackle benefits fraud through Joint Provider Fraud Investigation (JPFI) initiative*

   Protecting your clients’ plans is important to us. That’s why Equitable Life is working with other Canadian life and health insurers to conduct joint investigations into health service providers that are suspected of fraudulent activities through the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s (CLHIA’s) Joint Provider Fraud Investigation (JPFI) initiative. This collaborative initiative between major Canadian life and health insurers through the CLHIA is a major step toward reducing benefits fraud in the life and health benefits insurance industry. 

   How the JPFI works

   The JPFI builds on the 2022 launch of a CLHIA-supported industry program. The program uses advanced artificial intelligence to help identify fraudulent activity across an industry pool of anonymized claims data. Joint investigations will examine suspicious patterns across this data.
    
   Through this project, Equitable Life can initiate a request to begin a joint fraud investigation when we: 
   • See suspected provider fraud in our own data or the pooled data, or
   • Receive a substantiated tip about potential provider fraud 
   Other life and health insurers that have joined the JPFI will then have the option to join the investigation if they are also impacted by the provider under investigation. By sharing expertise and resources across insurers, the participating carriers will be able to determine the most appropriate next steps. 

   How Equitable Life protects your clients’ benefits plans from fraud

   Benefits fraud is a crime that affects insurers, employers and employees and puts the sustainability of workplace benefits at risk. CLHIA estimates that employers and insurers lose millions each year to benefits fraud and abuse.
   
   Our Investigative Claims Unit (ICU) consists of security and fraud experts who use data analytics and artificial intelligence to proactively identify and investigate suspicious billing patterns or claims activity to open investigations. We de-list healthcare providers who are engaged in questionable or fraudulent practices, pursue the recovery of improperly obtained funds, and report practitioners to regulatory bodies and law enforcement where appropriate.
   
   Learn more about benefits fraud, or contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager for more information.

   Second phase of TELUS eClaims transition*

   In June 2022, we switched to TELUS Health eClaims as our digital billing provider to give our plan members a faster and more convenient option for submitting paramedical and vision claims. The switch has allowed our plan members to take advantage of TELUS’s extensive network of over 70,000 paramedical and vision providers.
    
   We’ve now begun the second phase of our TELUS Health eClaims implementation. This phase will focus on improving the experience for paramedical and vision providers. We will begin issuing reconciliation statements for the claims they submit on behalf of their patients. These statements will make it easier for them to use the TELUS Health eClaims portal and provide incentive for even more providers to sign up.
    
   Please encourage your clients to remind their plan members about this convenient option. We have created a helpful one-pager that plan members can bring with them next time they have an appointment with their healthcare provider. 
    
   If you have any questions about TELUS Health eClaims, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
    

   Changes to STD application process for COVID-19 cases*

   As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we continue to adjust our disability management practices to ensure ongoing support and a fair experience for all our plan members.
    
   As of May 1, 2023, we will begin managing COVID-19-related short-term disability (STD) claims the same way that we manage disability claims for any other illness or condition. If a plan member is unable to work due to COVID-19 symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test, they must now use the standard STD application, including the Attending Physician Statement portion.
    
   Once we receive the claim, we will adjudicate it according to our standard process.
    
   If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
   
   * Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
   
   
    
7. [pdf] A better group benefits experience
8. [pdf] Payout Annuity Rate Guarantees
9. NEW MARKETING MATERIAL! Flexibility for supplemental income with Equimax Equitable has created a new piece to help you understand our new Equimax^® illustration feature, Paid-Up Additions (PUA) to Cash Dividends, now available!
   
   Did you know Equimax clients can switch from the PUA dividend option to the cash dividend option by simply requesting a dividend option change?^1,2
   
   You can illustrate this for paid-up 10 pay and 20 pay Equimax plans! Show clients how they can build in added flexibility and use their policy to create a source of future supplemental income by simply changing the dividend option to cash.³
    
   Illustration Considerations:
   ● Works with Equimax Estate Builder^® or Equimax Wealth Accumulator^®.
   ● Illustrate the Excelerator Deposit Option (EDO) to help build the policy values while the PUA dividend option is in effect. EDO payments can’t be made once the policy is switched to the cash dividend option.
   ● If a client needs temporary insurance coverage – like mortgage protection - illustrate term riders for how long they are needed to meet the specific goal.³
   ● If critical illness coverage is needed our competitively priced 20 pay critical illness riders are a great fit to provide paid-up critical illness coverage.³ 
   
   Clients should apply for the coverage they need. This concept is about flexibility to create a future source of supplemental income.
   
   Want to learn more? Check out our new marketing piece: Flexibility for supplemental income with Equimax (2077).
   
   For more information, reach out to your local wholesaler.
    
    
   ^® and ^TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
   ¹ Dividends are not guaranteed and are paid at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.  Dividends may be subject to taxation. Dividends will vary based on the actual investment returns in the participating account as well as mortality, expenses, lapse, claims experience, taxes, and other experience of the participating block of policies.
   ² To request a change to the dividend option complete and submit form 558 (Request for Withdrawal of Dividends, Change in Option, or Premium Offset). A client can request a change to the cash dividend option from any other dividend option regardless of the premium type or whether premiums continue to be payable, subject to our current administration rules and guidelines. Some dividend option changes are subject to underwriting. Underwriting is not required to change from the PUA to cash dividend option, however, underwriting is required to change from the cash dividend option to the PUA dividend option.
   ³ This concept is intended to illustrate a one-time switch to cash dividends once premiums are no longer payable for the policy (including premiums for riders). Premiums are paid with after-tax dollars and dividends paid in cash are subject to taxation.  If premiums are payable there will be tax savings for the client to use the before-tax cash dividend to reduce the premium instead of taking it entirely as a cash payment.  This concept is intended for longer term planning, not to meet short term cash needs by switching back and forth between the PUA and cash options. Clients should consider a policy loan or a cash withdrawal to meet short-term cash needs; policy loans and cash withdrawals may be subject to taxation.
    
10. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – March 2022 In this issue:
    • CLHIA launches industry anti-fraud initiative*
    • Provincial biosimilar update*
    • Quebec decreasing insurance premium tax*
    • Coming soon: A survey to understand how we can better serve your clients’ needs*
    • Remind your clients’ plan members in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to register for Pharmacare *
    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients
     

    CLHIA launches industry anti-fraud initiative*

    In February, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) announced a new anti-fraud initiative that is using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to further identify and reduce benefits fraud.
     
    Equitable Life is excited to be a part of this important initiative. It will enhance our own fraud detection analytics by using AI to connect the dots across a huge pool of anonymized claims data. This will lead to more investigations and actions to mitigate the impact of fraud on your clients’ plans.
     
    The initiative is being led by the CLHIA and member insurers and is supported by technology provider Shift Technologies. It will be further rolled-out and expanded over the next three years.
     
    Benefits fraud affects more than just insurers. The costs of fraud are felt by employers and their employees as well. We are looking forward to being able to better identify and reduce benefits fraud.
     

    Provincial biosimilar update*

    BC expands its biosimilar initiative
    BC Pharmacare recently announced it is adding two rapid-acting insulins to the list of drugs included in its ongoing initiative to switch patients to biosimilar versions of high-cost biologics. Patients taking Humalog or NovoRapid for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drugs by May 29, 2022 to maintain coverage under the public plan.
    
    Biologics are drugs that are engineered using living organisms like yeast and bacteria. The first version of a biologic developed is also known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are also biologics. They are highly similar to the originator biologic drugs they are based on, and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions.
    
    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 Humalog or NovoRapid for plan members in BC. Effective June 1, 2022, claimants currently taking Humalog or NovoRapid will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drugs to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan and their BC Pharmacare plan.
    
    We will be communicating this change to plan administrators later this week. And we will be communicating with affected claimants in early April to allow ample time to change their prescription and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage.
    If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
    
    Nova Scotia and Northwest Territories introduce biosimilar initiatives
    The governments of Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories each recently announced they are launching biosimilar initiatives to switch patients from certain originator biologic drugs to biosimilar versions of the drugs.
    
    Patients in Nova Scotia using affected originator biologic drugs will have until February 2023 to switch to a biosimilar version of their medications in order to maintain coverage under the province’s public drug plans. Patients in the Northwest Territories will have until June 20, 2022, to switch.
    
    Equitable Life^® actively monitors and investigates all biosimilar policy changes and the ongoing evolution of biosimilar drugs entering Canada.  We will keep you informed of any impact on private drug plans and how we are responding.
     

    Quebec decreasing insurance premium tax*

    The Quebec Government has announced that it plans to decrease its Insurance Premium Tax rates effective April 1, 2022. The premium tax rates for group life and accident and sickness insurance are expected to decrease from 3.48% to 3.3%. The new tax rates will be applied to premiums for the billing period beginning on or after April 1, 2022.
     

    Coming soon: A survey to understand how we can better serve your clients’ needs*

    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.
     
    In the coming weeks, we will conduct a survey of your clients to help us understand how we can better serve them. On March 28, we will send plan administrators an email with a link to the survey. The survey will remain open until the end of the day on April 11 and 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 may also follow up with plan administrators directly 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 25 prepaid gift cards for $25.
     

    Remind your clients’ plan members in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to register for Pharmacare*

    If your clients have plan members in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan, the provincial government offers a Pharmacare program to support prescription drug costs.  Plan members in these provinces must register for their provincial Pharmacare program to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life drug plan.
     
    Registration is easy! We will send two registration reminder messages directly to plan members’ pharmacists and post them on their Explanation of Benefits. We’ve also created a step-by-step guide that your clients can share with their plan members.
     
    English version
    French version
     
    For more information about the provincial Pharmacare programs, including how plan members can register, please visit:
     
    For British Columbia residents: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/pharmacare-for-bc-residents  
     
    For Manitoba residents: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/pharmacare/apply.html
     
    For Saskatchewan residents: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/health/prescription-drug-plans-and-health-coverage/extended-benefits-and%20drug-plan/drug-cost-assistance#eligibility