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Making it easier to do business with Equitable
We wanted to share some exciting updates with you that focus on enhancing your experience with Equitable®. Improving your journey with us is a top priority, and we continually seek ways to make doing business simpler and more convenient.
The following are our latest enhancements designed specifically to benefit you.
New annual premium payment options for Life and Critical Illness plans
● Great news! We recently introduced new additional payment methods for clients making their first and subsequent annual insurance premium payments.
● And - we're thrilled to introduce a new lower annual premium requirement of $2,500 for clients who wish to pay their annual premiums by Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)!
● Learn more about these changes here.
Improved forms for requesting in-force illustrations
● We understand the importance of efficient workflows, and that's why we have recently updated and improved the following forms to make requesting inforce illustrations even easier:
● Term, CI & Whole Life Illustration and Quote for inforce policies
● Universal Life Illustration and Quote for inforce policies
For these and other Equitable forms, navigate to EquiNet® -> Individual Insurance -> Forms.
We trust that these improvements will be met with enthusiasm! And this is just the beginning – stay tuned for more enhancements in the new year!
Questions? Please reach out to your local wholesaler or our customer service team.
® or TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada
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The top five benefits of choosing the 10-pay premium option
As part of our December 2024 Equimax® update, we launched a new guaranteed 10-pay premium option for Equimax Wealth Accumulator®. This option is a great way for clients to fund their life insurance policy.
The top 5 benefits of the 10-pay premium option:
1. Short Payment Period: After just 10 years, the policy will be completely paid-up, and clients won’t have to make any more payments while still having coverage.
2. Growing Cash Value: By completing payments in a shorter time, clients can see their cash value grow faster. They can later access this value through policy loans or cash withdrawals if needed.
3. Level Premiums: The premiums for the 10-pay option stay level over time. This makes it easier for clients to budget.
4. Estate Planning: A fully paid-up life insurance policy can be a great planning tool for clients who want to leave a legacy for their loved ones.
5. Tax Benefits: The cash value in a whole life policy grows tax-deferred, and the death benefit is paid out tax-free to beneficiaries.
To learn more about our Equimax 10 pay premium option, visit our splash page:
Need more information? Contact your local Equitable wholesaler with any questions.
® or TM denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
- Benefits and Key features
- 2026 Elite Advisor Program
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Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – February 2022
In this issue:
- Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
- Preferred Biosimilar Program*
- Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy*
- Dental fee guide updates*
- Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*
- Mental health resources for plan members*
Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
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:
Four originator biologics added to Alberta Biosimilar Initiative- 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.
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*
*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.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%
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”
- 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”
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.
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Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin - October 2022
Introducing new Gender Affirmation Coverage for group benefits plans
Providing an inclusive benefits plan can play a critical role in fostering a workplace culture that welcomes diversity and helps employees thrive. While most provinces cover the cost of gender-affirming surgery, each person has unique needs. Some may require procedures that are not publicly covered.
That’s why we’re pleased to introduce a new coverage option for gender affirmation surgical procedures that are not covered by provincial health plans. Gender Affirmation Coverage helps plan sponsors to close the gap where provincial health coverage ends.Coverage details and eligibility
Gender Affirmation Coverage can be added to any Equitable Life plan with an in-force Extended Health Care plan. It provides coverage for gender-affirming procedures that are not covered by provincial health plans. This might include tracheal (Adam’s apple) shaving and voice surgery. It will also cover some additional procedures to further align the plan member’s features to the transitioned gender, such as facial bone reduction and cheek augmentation. This makes a wider variety of gender-affirming surgeries accessible to plan members and helps minimize their out-of-pocket costs.
Plan members are eligible for coverage with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a qualified health care professional.Offering a more inclusive benefits plan
The coverage provides one more way for your clients to offer more inclusive coverage and to offer holistic support to their plan members undergoing a gender transition. We have developed this coverage as a complement to our existing coverage options, including Health Care Spending Accounts (HCSAs), Taxable Spending Accounts (TSAs), Extended Health Care and drug coverage, and Employee and Family Assistance Programs, all of which can provide support to plan members undergoing gender affirmation.
We regularly review our products to ensure that they’re meeting your clients’ needs, and we’re committed to offering products that support diversity, equity and inclusion.
We also continue to review our forms, documents and processes to make them more inclusive. This includes reviewing our online plan member enrolment (OPME) tool to allow for more flexibility with the way plan members identify their gender.Gender affirmation and mental well-being
Gender affirmation procedures can lead to improved mental health outcomes for those with gender dysphoria, as most report an improvement in their quality of life following the procedures. Gender dysphoria may occur when a person’s assigned sex at birth does not match their identity, and people experiencing gender dysphoria typically report psychological and emotional distress, including symptoms of depression or anxiety. By offering coverage where provincial health coverage ends, your clients can support plan members as they seek procedures that align their body presentation with their self-identified gender.
Advantages at a glance
Advantages for plan members include:- Reimbursement for some procedures and expenses, leading to fewer out-of-pocket costs
- May experience improved mental health outcomes after surgery
- A benefits plan that promotes a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, which may build employee loyalty
- Support for plan member mental health to help those with gender dysphoria thrive
The Benefits Canada 2022 Health Care Survey results are in!
Equitable Life is proud to be a Platinum sponsor for The Benefits Canada 2022 Health Care Survey, Canada’s leading survey on workplace benefits plans. This year’s survey report highlights many fascinating insights across a wide variety of benefits topics, including:- A focus on mental health for both plan sponsors and plan members
- The repercussions of the "shadow" pandemic due to health care delays
- Trends in plan members' overall perceptions of their health benefits plans
- The types of benefits getting more attention from plan members
- The role of remote work in plan member satisfaction
We’re committed to helping you and your clients navigate the evolving landscape of employee benefits in Canada by contributing to this vibrant industry community. To read the full report, visit Benefits Canada.
HCSA and TSA manual allocation reminder
If your clients’ Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) have manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Clients should review their plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year. Your clients may also order HCSA and TSA forfeiture reports on EquitableHealth.ca.
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
- Select Reports
- Select New
- Select Next
- Select HCSA or TSA Totals by Plan Member
- Select Next
- Enter end date of 12/31/2022
- Select Next
- Select Finish
- View Report
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There is still time for your clients to contribute to their Tax-Free Savings Account
If you have clients that have not contributed to their Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) this year, great news… there is still time!
You know that an Equitable Life® TFSA is a great way to save. Each year residents of Canada who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to invest up to $6,000* into their TFSA, in addition to any previously unused contribution room. Deposits made into a TFSA are made with after-tax dollars. This means that withdrawals can be made at any time on a tax-free basis.
Interested in increasing an existing Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) TFSA deposit?
Clients with an existing PAD (or who had one in the previous six months), can go online to make any adjustments to a scheduled deposit to their TFSA. Clients can simply login to Equitable Life’s Client Access®. Client Access is Equitable’s secure online client site that connects clients to tools and policy information.
Consider a one-time deposit or set up a PAD?
To get started with one-time deposit, clients simply log in to their online bank account and select the option to add a new bill/payee and search for Equitable Life Savings Plan. The Equitable Life savings plan policy number will serve as the account number.
Clients that complete their deposits using online banking do not have to worry about mailing a cheque or missing the deadline. Deposits are applied based on the investment direction on file.
If you have clients that would like to set up a PAD, simply complete Form #378. For details on how to submit forms during COVID-19, refer to the NEW APPLICATIONS & TRANSACTION AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS webpage.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your local Regional Investment Sales Manager or Advisor Services at 1.866.884.7427 Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET or email savingsretirement@equitable.ca.
*The annual TFSA limit is set by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and is currently $6,000. Your notice of assessment will tell you if you have unused contribution room from previous years. Contributions over the maximum will be charged a monthly penalty of 1% by CRA.
® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada -
Dialogue Virtual Healthcare now available to add to Equitable Life benefits plans
We’re pleased to announce we are partnering with Dialogue, Canada’s leading virtual health provider, to offer unlimited and on-demand virtual access to primary healthcare practitioners.
Virtual Healthcare is the latest addition to our HealthConnector suite of health and wellness services. It is available to add to all Equitable Life benefits plans for an additional cost as of July 1, 2023.Features of Dialogue Virtual Healthcare
Available 24/7, 365 days a year, Dialogue Virtual Healthcare provides access to unlimited non-urgent medical care for a wide range of health concerns. Plan members get fast access to the largest, most experienced and bilingual medical team in Canada for non-urgent medical issues. They also benefit from in-app prescription renewals and refills, personalized follow-ups after every consultation, and concierge-level navigation support for all referrals to in-person specialists when needed.
Dialogue’s industry-leading platform provides an all-in-one patient journey to address health issues, reducing long wait times and time away for doctor appointments. Plan members and their families can access Dialogue Virtual Healthcare through the secure web portal or mobile app. The Dialogue medical team includes doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses. Plan members can use the service even if they’re already receiving care from a family doctor.
For your clients
Benefits of Virtual Healthcare
By providing access to Virtual Healthcare, plan sponsors can help to:-
Drive employee engagement;
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Reduce absenteeism related to in-person medical appointments;
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Manage chronic health issues;
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Attract and retain top talent; and
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Build a healthier workforce.
By providing easier access to primary healthcare practitioners, Virtual Healthcare can offer extra health and wellness support for plan members. It also supports members that may experience barriers to accessing in-person healthcare, such as:-
Living in a remote location;
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Work or family obligations during standard medical clinic hours;
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Mobility challenges related to a disability; and
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Transportation challenges.
Click the link to learn more about Dialogue Virtual Healthcare : Welcome to Dialogue!Questions?
To learn more about how your clients can add Virtual Healthcare to their benefits plan, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager. -
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Digital tools for your clients and their plan members
In this issue:
- Digital tools for your clients and their plan members*
- QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2024*
Digital tools for your clients and their plan members*
Do your clients know how to use all the available digital tools in their Equitable® benefits plans? With useful features for both plan administrators and their members, it’s even easier for your clients to access their plans online.Tools for plan administrators
- Our online plan member enrolment tool lets groups and administrators add new plan members online without completing paper forms
- The EquitableHealth.ca plan administrator portal makes it easy for plan administrators to manage their plan anytime and anywhere. Helpful features include:
- A premium calculator to calculate monthly costs for plan members
- A simple process for updating plan member information
- Digital welcome kits provide personalized information directly to plan members through email
- Easy, automated payment options help plan administrators avoid missed payments by offering pre-authorized debit or electronic funds transfer
Tools for plan members
- Our plan member portal at EquitableHealth.ca provides secure, 24/7 access to claims history and coverage details. It also lets members submit claims, and includes health and wellness resources
- Electronic notifications and claims payments give plan members claim updates via email and deposit payments directly into their bank account
- The Equitable EZClaim® mobile app lets plan members submit claims quickly and securely on-the-go from their mobile device
- Digital benefits cards give plan members the convenience to access their benefits cards easily from a mobile device
Help with digital benefits tools
We’ve created a brochure and video guide to help plan members use digital tools for a smoother, more convenient benefits experience.
Plan members can contact us at 1.800.265.4556 and select the option for Web Support if they need further assistance.
QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2024*
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 2024 to reflect trends in the volume of claims submitted to the pool, particularly catastrophic claims. These updates take effect January 1, 2024. You can view the updates here.
We will apply the new pooling levels and fees to future renewal calculations that involve Quebec plan members.
If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Account Executive.
- [pdf] GIA versus GIC