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  1. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – May 2020

    In this issue:

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients


    Easy and convenient digital resources for your clients and their plan members

    During this time of physical distancing, people are looking for ways to interact with their providers virtually. We have several convenient digital tools available to make it easier for your clients and their plan members.


    For plan administrators:


    Plan administrator portal (EquitableHealth.ca)

    Our secure portal allows plan administrators to easily manage their plan anytime and anywhere. Instead of printing and mailing forms, they can make real-time updates at their convenience. The site also makes it easy to:

    • View or upload forms and other important documents;
    • Retrieve billing information;
    • Estimate monthly premium costs; and
    • View announcements, tips and reminders.

    Plan administrators can visit www.equitablehealth.ca to activate their account.

    Digital Welcome Kits

    Instead of paper kits that can easily get lost or quickly become outdated, plan members receive personalized welcome kits via an interactive email, including instructions on how to:

    • Activate their online group benefits account;
    • Download their digital benefits card;
    • Submit claims from their computer or mobile device;
    • Review their coverage details; and
    • Explore health and wellness resources.

    Easy automated payments

    Automated payments are a convenient way to avoid missed payments, suspended claims and disruption. Plan administrators simply complete the pre-authorized debit form and send to GroupCollections@equitable.ca. Or contact Group Collections about online banking and electronic funds transfer (EFT).

    We can help

    For assistance, plan administrators can contact their Client Relationship Specialist or our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.


    For plan members:


    Plan member portal (EquitableHealth.ca)

    By logging into EquitableHealth.ca, plan members have secure 24/7 access to their personalized Group Benefits account. They can:

    • View and submit claims;
    • Review their coverage details; and
    • Access health and wellness resources.

    Electronic claims payment and notifications

    Once plan members have activated their Group Benefits account on EquitableHealth.ca, they can easily set up receiving their claim payments via direct deposit, and their claim notifications via email.

    EZClaim Mobile App

    Submitting claims is fast, easy and secure with the Equitable EZClaim® mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Plan members can view and submit health and dental claims and review their coverage details.

    Digital Benefits Cards

    Instead of digging through their wallets, plan members can download a digital version of their benefits card to their mobile device.

    We can help

    We’ve created a video guide to help plan members access and use their digital resources. For further assistance, plan members can contact our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.


    Alberta government delaying biosimilar initiative

    As we announced in the February 2020 issue of eNews, the Alberta Biosimilar Initiative will require patients using several originator biologic drugs to switch to a biosimilar in order to maintain coverage through their Alberta government sponsored drug plan.

    Due to the increased demands the COVID-19 pandemic is placing on healthcare providers, the Alberta government has postponed the switching requirement. Affected patients will now have until January 15, 2021 to switch to the biosimilar version of their drug in order to maintain provincial coverage.

    We continue to investigate appropriate options to help ensure this provincial change does not unreasonably impact Equitable Life groups and patients and will keep you informed.
    For more information about the Alberta Biosimilars Initiative, consult the Alberta government website.


    Yukon increasing Insurance Premium Tax

    The Yukon Government has announced that it plans to increase its Insurance Premium Tax rates effective January 1, 2021. The premium tax rates for group life and accident and sickness insurance are expected to increase from 2% to 4%. The new tax rates will be applied to premiums paid on or after January 1, 2021.


    Manitoba and New Brunswick relaxing drug limits

    In order to protect the drug supply during the COVID-19 crisis, residents of most provinces were temporarily limited to receiving a 30-day supply of drugs when filling a prescription. Normally, doctors prescribe a 90-day supply for most maintenance-type drugs.

    The Government of Manitoba and the Government of New Brunswick are now relaxing this 30-day limit for prescription drugs where shortages do not exist. They will address potential shortages of specific drugs if necessary.

    As the situation continues to evolve, there may continue to be changes to provincial legislation and prescription limits. Plan members should speak to their pharmacist for the most up to date information.


    Free guide to accessing virtual healthcare

    With many health clinics closed and the healthcare system under strain, people are looking to access a doctor and other health providers virtually.

    As we announced previously, we’ve made it easier for plan members to find the information they need using our Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare. This online resource provides information about and links to a range of virtual health services they need to take care of their health and the health of their family during these challenging times.

    The Guide also indicates which services are covered by public health plan, so there’s no cost to the patient to access them if they provide their valid provincial health card.
    We will continue to update the Guide as more virtual healthcare providers and services become available.

    The Guide is available on both EquitableHealth.ca and Equitable.ca.


    Homeweb for plan members who are losing coverage

    We know these are difficult times for Canadian employers and their employees. As businesses temporarily suspend operations, some employers have had to make the difficult decision to temporarily lay off employees or put their benefits coverage on hold.

    That’s why we were pleased to announce that Homewood Health® and Equitable Life will extend access to Homeweb, a personalized online mental health and wellness portal, for up to 120 days for plan members who have temporarily lost their benefits coverage due to COVID-19.

    Employees and their family members will continue to have access to the Homeweb website and mobile app, including:

    • iVolve, online self-directed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy;
    • Resources to support themselves and their family members through the COVID-19 pandemic;
    • An interactive online Health Risk Assessment; and
    • An online library of tools, assessments and e-courses.

    This will allow businesses undergoing financial hardship to provide some support to employees who are temporarily without benefits coverage.

  2. [pdf] Managing a Retirement Savings Plan tax refund
  3. 2026 Dividend scale announcement, plus new Performance and perspective par fund report
    Good news! Equitable’s Board of Directors has approved maintaining our current dividend scale, including the dividend scale interest rate of 6.40%, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.*

    These factors are also staying the same:
    •  The interest rate* used to decide the dividend scale is unchanged at 6.40%.
    •  The interest rate for policies with dividends on deposit stays at 3.50%.
    •  The interest rate for most policy loans continues to be 6.50%. **

    A stable dividend scale reflects strong, long‑term management of the participating fund.

    Find out what’s new with Equitable Individual Insurance and hear the 2026 Dividend Scale announcement
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    (*French and Chinese events will be partially in English, with sub-titles on screen).

    New! Performance and perspective participating fund report
    You now have a powerful new resource, Performance and perspective, to support your client conversations about Equitable’s participating fund. It’s designed to give you a transparent view of 2025 participating fund performance to help you explain long‑term value simply, and position Equimax® participating whole life as a long‑term solution, not just a product.

    View the Performance and perspective report: English, French, Chinese

    Reasons to use Performance and perspective
    • It strengthens your conversations and builds client confidence by showing the participating fund asset mix, historical performance and long‑term approach all in one place.
    • It helps you explain with clear visuals how the participating account is managed, not just how it performed.

    Why this matters to clients
    • They get transparency into where their money is invested.
    • They can see how participating solutions are managed over time, not year to year.
    • They gain confidence in long‑term planning decisions, supported by facts.

    Need more information?
    • Dividend Information Page
    • 2026 Advisor Dividend Scale Notice
    • 2026 Client Dividend Scale Notice

    *Dividends are not guaranteed and are paid at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.
    **Applies to new and existing policy loans and automatic premium loans, specifically Equimax® policies with 9-digit policy numbers beginning with 3 or 8. Older policies may have different loan rates as they reflect the prime interest rate.
     
  4. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – November 2021 In this issue: *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients

    Reminder: Deadline to opt out of New Brunswick biosimilar program*

    Earlier this year, we announced via eNews that on Feb. 1, 2022, we are ending coverage for some originator biologic drugs in New Brunswick in response to the province’s Biosimilar Initiative.* These changes will help protect your clients’ plans from additional drug costs while still providing access to equally safe and effective biosimilars.
     
    Do my clients need to take any action?
    No action is required if employers want to have the originator biologics excluded from their plan. Plan members taking these targeted originator biologics will be contacted directly to allow them ample time to transition to the biosimilar. Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.
     
    All groups, except myFlex clients, who wish to opt out of this change and maintain coverage of these originator biologics for existing claimants in New Brunswick can submit a policy amendment. Amendments must be submitted no later than Nov. 30, 2021.
     
    Advisors with myFlex Benefits clients who wish to maintain coverage of these originator biologics for New Brunswick plan members should speak to their myFlex Sales Manager to confirm their eligibility to opt out of this change.
     
    Groups that opt out of this change are also opting out of any future changes to our New Brunswick biosimilar initiative. This means that their drug plans will continue to cover any additional originator biologics for which we subsequently end coverage as part of the biosimilar program.
     
    Questions?
    If you have a question that isn’t answered here, please contact your Equitable Life Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
     
    * The list of affected drugs or conditions is dynamic and may change.

    Web Reports Quick Reference Guide now available for plan administrators

    A Web Reports Quick Reference Guide is now available for plan administrators on EquitableHealth.ca. This new guide offers a listing of our newest reports available on the plan administrator web. It also provides instructions for plan administrators outlining how to pull the report using the plan administrator portal.
     
    The guide is available under the Quick Links section on both the advisor and plan administrator portals on EquitableHealth.ca.

    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.

    Help your clients take advantage of our convenient digital options*

    We have several digital options available to make it easier for your clients to do business with us and for their plan members to access and use their benefits plan. Over 71% of plan administrators are managing their plan online and 78% of plan members are already using our digital tools.
     
    For plan administrators:
    • Online Plan Member Enrolment tool – allows all groups to add new plan members without the need for paper forms
    • Plan Administrator Portal (EquitableHealth.ca) – plan administrators can easily manage their plan anytime and anywhere
    • Digital Welcome Kits – personalized welcome kits are delivered to plan members via email
    • Easy automated payments – plan administrators can avoid missed payments by setting up pre-authorized debit or electronic funds transfer
    For plan members:
    • Plan Member Portal (EquitableHealth.ca) – plan members get secure, 24/7 access to their claims history, coverage details and health and wellness resources
    • Electronic Claim Payments and Notifications – plan members can get claim updates sooner in their email inbox and payments right into their bank account
    • EZClaim Mobile App – submitting claims from a mobile device is fast, easy and secure
    • Digital Benefits Cards – plan members no longer have to dig through their wallet – they can download their benefits card on their mobile device
    We can help
    We’ve created a brochure and a video guide to help plan members access and use their digital resources. For further assistance, plan members can visit www.equitable.ca/go/digital. They can also contact our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.
  5. A New Universal Life Insurance Solution for the 21st Century – Available NOW! Introducing a new universal life solution built for the 21st century: Equitable Generations™ universal life insurance is available for sale NOW!


    Check out our Equitable Generations universal life splash page: www.equitable.ca/ul

     
    Our new Equitable Generations universal life insurance
    Equitable Generations is a universal life product that offers investment options that resonate with today’s 21st century client while reducing every fee possible. It also reduces the cost of insurance to help clients maximize their opportunity to purchase coverage and build tax-advantaged wealth.

    NEW: EZstartTM Generations
    Today we are launching EZstart Generations which is:
     
    • A mobile-optimized tool for advisors
    • Designed to start a conversation and provide a possible universal life solution in under one minute
    • Goals based - you can see how Equitable Generations™ universal life insurance can perform at different stages of a client’s life.
    Give it a try and use this tool as you are starting the conversation about universal life solutions with clients. EZstart links directly to the EZcomplete® online application for an easy digital experience.
     
    NEW: SMS
    Effective today, September 26, 2022 when you submit an application, you can opt-in to receive text message updates for your new business applications.
    That’s a text message when:
    • The application is received,
    • A decision has been made by Equitable Life,
    • The policy is ready for delivery, and
    • The commissions have been triggered.
    Please note, this number is not monitored for incoming texts. Please contact Customer Service with any questions.
    Learn more

    Find all the exciting details on our virtual launch splash page (www.equitable.ca/ul) and watch our informative videos to get all the information you need to start selling Equitable Generations universal life.


    Check out our Equitable Generations universal life splash page: www.equitable.ca/ul


    Click on the Marketing Materials tab on EquiNet® for all of our new Equitable Generations marketing materials.

    Please contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information. 

     
    TM and ® denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. 
     
     
  6. Individual Insurance product enhancements

    Equitable Life has exciting product enhancements that will help you offer more options to clients. 

    Watch our Virtual Product Launch NOW. Grab a coffee and get ready for this exciting news! Hear from our leaders and learn about our exciting product enhancements.

    - Full Product Launch Video (approx. 20 minutes). 
    - Introduction video (View on Vimeo) / Product launch page 


    Highlights of the product changes effective February 12, 2022, include:

     

    NEW! 10 pay premium option with Equimax Estate Builder®

    - The new EquiLiving® 20 pay rider options will be available on Equimax® plans


    NEW! EquiLiving plans and riders enhanced with:

    - 20 pay options with coverage to age 75 or coverage for life
    - Support from Cloud DX to help monitor a client’s well-being from treatment to recovery.
    - Added Acquired Brain Injury as a covered critical condition 
    - 30-day survival period removed for all non-cardiovascular covered conditions
    - No age restriction to claim for Loss of Independent Existence (LOIE)
    - EquiLiving Benefit now pays the higher of the EquiLiving Benefit or the Return of Premium Rider Benefit (not including Return of Premium on Death)          
    - And so much more …

    New Illustration software available on February 11, 2022 
    The updated illustration software will be available for download after 9 a.m. ET on Friday, February 11, 2022, and will include all the Equimax and EquiLiving enhancements.

    See the Equitable Sales Illustrations Update for information on how to download the software or check for updates. 

    Please review updates to the commission schedule A for these new enhancements.

    Learn more Get ready to make 2022 your best year yet for your sales! 

    Please contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information. 
  7. Product Enhancements - Critical Illness Equitable Life has exciting product enhancements that will help you offer more options to clients. 

    Access our Virtual Product Launch NOW. Grab a coffee and get ready for this exciting news! Hear from our leaders and learn about our exciting product enhancements.

    NEW! EquiLiving plans and riders enhanced with:
    • 20 pay options with coverage to age 75 or coverage for life
    • Support from Cloud DX to help monitor a client’s well-being from treatment to recovery.
    • Added Acquired Brain Injury as a covered critical condition 
    • 30-day survival period removed for all non-cardiovascular covered conditions
    • No age restriction to claim for Loss of Independent Existence (LOIE)
    • EquiLiving Benefit now pays the higher of the EquiLiving Benefit or the Return of Premium Rider Benefit (not including Return of Premium on Death)
    • And so much more …
    New Illustration software available on February 11, 2022 
    The updated illustration software will be available for download after 9 a.m. ET on Friday, February 11, 2022, and will include all the Equimax and EquiLiving enhancements.

    See the Equitable Sales Illustrations Update for information on how to download the software or check for updates. 

    Please review updates to the commission schedule A for these new enhancements.

    Learn more Get ready to make 2022 your best year yet for your sales! 

    Please contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information. 
  8. New year tune-up for Equimax participating whole life
    It’s a new year and time for an Equimax® tune up! We have made some exciting changes for new sales of Equimax Estate Builder® and Equimax Wealth Accumulator® effective February 11, 2023.

    These exciting enhancements make Equimax even more robust, simpler and cost effective, to ensure it continues to be the preferred participating whole life solution for clients and advisors alike.

    Watch our informative video to learn more.
     
    Check out our Equimax splash page for complete details on all the enhancements, our transition rules, and much more.
     








    What’s new?
    • All new children’s policies will now be issued as non-smoker for life – we will no longer request a non-smoker declaration for new children's policies.
    • We have also removed the policy fees on new Equimax sales, reducing total premium payments – allowing clients to buy even more coverage for the same payment.
    But there’s more to our Equimax tune-up!
    The following enhancements add more value, making it easier for you to recommend Equimax as your preferred whole life solution.
    • Monthly Excelerator Deposit Option(EDO) payments and EDO payments received off anniversary will now buy more paid-up additional insurance,
    • Dividends earned on EDO payment paid-up additions, and credited on the base policy, can now buy even more paid-up additions,
    • New clients now have the option to elect individual policies on joint last to die (JLTD) plans if their personal situation changes,
    • We have also changed the way we calculate monthly premiums – resulting in lower premium payments across the board,
    • And we have added our KIND™ benefit program to Equimax, as we did for our newest Generations Universal Life  solution last September – making it easier for families and beneficiaries at claim time.
    • And, finally, we are introducing some new sales illustration features, a Web-based software and more to help you market Equimax!
    Visit our splash page and watch our informative video to learn more and start selling the enhanced Equimax today.
     
    Plus, visit our Equimax product page on EquiNet®, then click on the Marketing Materials tab for the latest Equimax marketing materials.
     
    Need more information? Please contact your local wholesaler.
     
     ® and ™ denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
  9. Making it easy to do business with us

    Online Term illustration now auto-populates the application 

    We have added a new online illustration for Equitable® Term life insurance illustrations that automatically populates the fields in your Term application. 

    We’ve designed the online illustration to be intuitive so you can fill in client details with ease. 
    ●  Select term plans and coverages of choice, then get an illustration report in minutes. 
    ●  You can save your web illustration progress at any time and view it from the online application dashboard. 
    ●  We’ve combined the illustration with our online application to make the process seamless. The illustration details you provide will auto-populate in the fields needed to complete the application. 

    New: You can create a term illustration without logging in to EquiNet.   

    We are taking another step in the journey towards enhancing the ways we do business. 




    Check out this update on the new Illustrations page on EquiNet®! 

    Learn more

    Have further questions? Your Equitable Wholesaler is here to help!

    ® and TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
     
  10. What’s new in EZtransact We’re excited to introduce the latest enhancement for EZtransact™, our digital self-serve tool. EZtransact now allows you to help clients:

    •  Easily make segregated fund withdrawals. This functionality is available for all account types, and for the First Home Savings Account, it also eliminates the need to submit additional CRA paper forms.

    •  Transfer from one fund to another fund digitally, within the same policy and same sales charge options.

    These enhancements make it easier than ever to do business with Equitable®. They will help reduce your time spent on paperwork, allowing to you focus on more value-add time and services for clients. 

    Check out EZtransact. Stay tuned for more exciting digital enhancements coming soon!
     
    If you have any questions, please contact your Director, Investment Sales. 


    Date posted: July 11, 2024