Site Search
796 results for check site now MAKEMUR.COM Buying early release from jail with payment plans
- [pdf] Plan Administrator Guide to EZBenefits
-
Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin - April 2021
In this issue:
- Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
- New Humira biosimilars approved*
- Saskatchewan and Manitoba delist biologics for some conditions*
Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes take effect*
In our November 2020 edition of eNews, we announced we are changing coverage for some biologic drugs in Alberta in response to the province’s Biosimilar Initiative.
As of March 15, 2021, several originator biologic drugs are no longer covered for plan members in Alberta. Plan members taking these biologics are required to switch to the biosimilar versions of these drugs to maintain eligibility under their Equitable Life plan.
Affected drugs and conditions – Remicade remains eligible
We initially announced that Remicade would be among the biologic drugs no longer covered in Alberta.
We have since determined a method to maintain ongoing eligibility of Remicade while reducing or eliminating any Coordination of Benefit risk associated with the provincial change. As such, Remicade will continue to be eligible for coverage.
Communication to plan members and plan sponsors
We communicated directly with affected claimants in January 2021 to allow them ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage. The transition to biosimilars, when required, has been smooth and continues to be successful.
Plan sponsors were notified even earlier to allow ample time to opt-out of this change. The vast majority have accepted the changes and are benefiting from a smooth plan member transition.
Looking ahead
We are one of the few insurers taking a comprehensive and proactive response to the Alberta Biosimilars Initiative. We will continue to monitor developments related to the coverage of biologics in Alberta and other provinces and will continue to take steps to protect your clients’ drug plans.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
New Humira biosimilars approved*
Beginning in February, Health Canada approved seven new biosimilars for Humira, a biologic drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease and many other conditions. Most of these biosimilars have already been launched and are available in pharmacies.
Humira is one of the highest ranked drugs in terms of total annual cost. All the Humira biosimilars are priced 40% lower than Humira and represent a savings opportunity for private drug plans.
BC Pharmacare has already announced that, effective October 7, 2021, all claimants for most conditions will only be eligible for Humira biosimilars.
We have implemented national controls to ensure the use of Humira biosimilars for new claimants. As with all biosimilar programs at Equitable Life, they will continuously evolve such that our clients are provided appropriate risk protection.
Saskatchewan and Manitoba change coverage for some biologics*
The Saskatchewan government recently announced that, effective March 1, 2021, new patients will no longer be eligible for coverage of Enbrel under its public plan. New patients will only be eligible for biosimilar versions of Enbrel.
Similarly, the Manitoba government announced changes to its tiered biologics program. Currently, claimants are expected to try biosimilars listed under Tier 1 of the program before they can be considered for coverage under the public plan for either Enbrel or Remicade, which are Tier 2 drugs. Effective April 1, 2021, Brenzys, an Enbrel biosimilar, has been added to Tier 1 for some additional medical conditions. As well, Avsola has been added as another Tier 1 biosimilar for Remicade. These changes further expand the Manitoba government’s utilization of biosimilars as preferred therapies over originator 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.
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.
*Indicates content that will be shared with your clients
- About
-
Can’t meet in person? EZcomplete is an EZ way to meet online
Instead of canceling your meeting, why not meet online instead? Our EZcomplete® application makes it easy to process your non-face-to-face applications and do business with Equitable Life.
EZcomplete is available on Pivotal Select™ segregated funds and all life products – Term, Whole Life, CI and Universal Life – and allows for the signing process to change from in-person to non face-to-face at the end of the application, despite how it was started. This gives you and your clients the option to easily and efficiently connect remotely.
How does it work?
EZcomplete gives you the option to conduct your non face-to-face business easily and quickly, enabling your clients to provide their signature remotely on their own device. You simply need to enter their email address and provide them with a secret passcode to securely access the documents to review and sign.
There is no limit on the face amounts or product options and the time to settle is reduced when using the application. It is a flexible, intuitive tool to use, and helps keep business on track now that many clients and advisors are opting for more social distance.
For Life Advisors, please refer to the New Business and Underwriting page on Equinet for details about non-face-to-face delivery. -
Manage more details within Contract Delivery for New Business applications
We are excited to announce further enhancements to our eDelivery process to empower you, the advisor, the ability to manage client details more easily within Contract Delivery.
Effective January 15, 2022, advisors will need to create a Password within Contract Delivery when choosing “eDelivery” as the contract delivery method and provide the password to the client to use as their password:
The Password must be between 4 and 100 alpha/numeric characters, and cannot be the Policy number. For multiple signers the password (and email address) must be unique per each signer.
Advisors can now edit and/or update an email address within Contract Delivery, in the event of a bounce back or email change, to keep the eDelivery process moving and avoid delays in processing time. If a lock out occurs, advisors can trigger a resend of the signing email once they add a new valid email address in Contract Delivery. Simply click the pencil icon beside the Email field to enter the valid email address:
Another new feature- in the event a client has declined, the advisor will get an email from Equitable Life®. Click through to EquiNet® within the email to view the message within Contract Delivery that the client provided as the reason for decline under a new “Declined Details” section. This enables you to connect with the client to proceed with the sale by discussing the reasons for decline with them directly.
Also new for clients with this enhancement, policy owners of a policy created after January 15 will be able to see a PDF copy of their policy within client access. Note: this PDF copy is as the policy was originally issued.
Resources: -
The value of Equitable Life’s EZcomplete online application for Pivotal Select
Necessity is the mother of invention. And COVID-19 has taken Equitable Life’s® EZcomplete® online application to the next level. Prior to the pandemic, EZcomplete was touted as being convenient and easy to use. Well, it is. But now…it is so much more.
Whether secure in an office or safe at home, EZcomplete’s non face-to-face capabilities include an alternative to physical verification. EZcomplete simply requires verification of ID using a third-party service provider. The third-party service provider completes the verification behind the scenes using information that was already required to complete an application. By removing the physical ID requirements, the ID verification process has been automated and simplified.
EZcomplete’s electronic signature functionality is also easy and secure. To enable a remote signature, your client just provides an e-mail address. Your client will receive a link and security code that you provide. The client enters the code, reviews the application and e-signs the documents.
Step by step directions ensure you have the right details without any confusing or unnecessary questions. Highlighted fields alert you to any missing information, eliminating any extra work or effort. The immediate processing also helps make it an attractive resource.
Whether selling segregated funds face to face or from the comfort of home, Equitable Life’s EZcomplete online application and Pivotal Select™ segregated fund line up provide the solution for even the most rattled and weary investor. Learn more, visit EquiNet or contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager.
-
Savings & Retirement Policy and Procedure updates regarding Electronic Signatures
We have updated our policies and procedures regarding electronic signatures in the Savings and Retirement department. We are now able to accept electronically signed documents, from all major third-party signing vendors.
Including esign@equitable.ca as a non-signing reviewer is the preferred method as it ensures the security embedded documents are accurately and immediately available for Equitable. We will be automatically notified when signing is complete and will download eSigned forms immediately for processing. Including esign@equitable.ca as a non-signing reviewer is secure, quick, and efficient. Documents no longer need to be emailed to us – eSigned documents are sent directly to us once all signatures are completed, therefore you do not need to notify us once the documents are signed.
When esign@equitable.ca is not used to submit electronically signed documents, the following criteria are required:- The original signed form and audit trail with all the security features intact
- The email address used to sign must match what is in our files (as provided on the application, for electronic policy delivery or through previous communication). If an email address has changed, or we don’t have an email contact for the signer, we will follow up for confirmation.
A guide on how to use esign@equitable.ca can be found here.
Please note that Equitable does not accept digital signatures (images or fonts of a signature which are not stamped).
Date posted: June 13, 2024 -
Things keep getting EZer with Equitable and EZtransact!
Equitable® continues to make great strides with our digital self-serve tool, EZtransact®. To keep this momentum, we’ve given EZtransact a fresh new look and feel, with additional transaction management changes and a new dashboard to enhance your online transaction experience! This refresh embraces our new brand, as we continue to focus on making it easier for you to do business with us.
What’s new with this update?
New dashboard for client search- The existing client search screen has been replaced with a new user-friendly dashboard.
- Upon accessing EZtransact, all contracts associated with the user’s EquiNet ID will be displayed.
- Users can refine the results and search by client name or contract number.
- Transactions submitted through EZtransact within the last 12 months are available, including their status.
- Transactions that have received all signatures will now allow the user to download a copy of the signed request and any supporting documents uploaded by the user.
- Transactions that are pending client signatures will allow the user to manage and track the e-signature process:
- Signing packages can be resent to clients who have not completed their e-signature.
- Clients can be unlocked through the dashboard if locked out due to too many invalid attempts.
- Advisor and dealer/MGA stakeholders have been removed from signing information and review screens.
- Users are no longer required to provide an email address for the dealer/MGA to submit a transaction.
Date published: October 3, 2024 -
Secure your GIA with Equitable today!
In uncertain times, a Guaranteed Interest Account (GIA) is a safe and stable investment opportunity. Now is a great time to consider a GIA with Equitable®.
Equitable offers:
• market leading interest rates1, with higher rates for larger deposits;
• many account types, including the First Home Savings Account; and
• options to invest up to age 952.
“GIAs offer a number of benefits for investors, especially in times of market volatility.” said Cam Crosbie, Executive Vice President, Savings & Retirement. Equitable. “In uncertain times, let your investments be certain. Choose GIAs for guaranteed peace of mind and predictable returns, along with estate planning benefits, and potential creditor protection.”
GIAs are simple fixed-income investments that add value to a portfolio. Equitable GIAs provide competitive interest rates and protection from market volatility. For more information visit EquiNet® and don’t forget to register for our interest rate change alert email.
For more information or assistance, please contact your Director, Investment Sales.
1 Equitable has made every effort to ensure accuracy of competitive information. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
2 Some available term lengths may be limited starting at age 90.
Date posted: May 14, 2025 -
Update: Improved Employee Assistance from Homewood Health
As we announced in June, we are expanding our relationship with Homewood Health to help you meet the mental health and wellness needs of your employees and their families. Beginning Oct. 1, 2019, Homewood will be the new provider of both our Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and our online health and wellness services.
Following the transition to Homewood, plan members will benefit from added features:
- Signing in to Homewood Health online allows the platform to customize content unique to your interests.
- All plan members will have access to a Health Risk Assessment to help identify health and wellness barriers.
- i-Volve, Homewood's online cognitive behavioural therapy program is available for all plan members to help them manage anxiety and depression.
Learn more about Homewood Health and how they will be providing your plan members with exceptional EFAP and online health and wellness resources.
What does the transition to Homewood mean for you and your plan members?
We will be working with you in the coming months to facilitate the transition and support your employees. Most importantly, there will be no disruption of service delivery to employees who are currently in short-term counselling with our current EFAP provider.
The transition timeline
Groups without an EFAP
Online health and wellness resources will be available through EquitableHealth.ca just as they are now. Here's what you can expect in the coming months.
September
- We will send plan administrators an email with more details about the resources available to assist in the transition, including:
- How to register for Homewood Health online
- A video orientation for plan members
October
- October 1st – plan members can access the Homewood online resources! They simply need to visit homeweb.ca/Equitable to sign up and create their unique login.
The transition timeline
Groups with an EFAP
We’ve created a helpful infographic that outlines the steps involved in the transition to the Homewood Health EFAP over the coming months. Please save or print it for easy reference. Below are some of the highlights.
August
- We will send plan administrators an email with official notice that the enrolment certificate for our current EAP provider, LifeWorks, will terminate on Sept. 30, 2019, and that Homewood Health Inc. will be our new Employee Assistance Program provider as of Oct. 1.
September
- Homewood will send you a welcome email, including how to access the EFAP, who to contact for support and where to find resources to help share the news with plan members.
- Homewood will follow up directly to answer any questions you may have.
- Homewood will begin offering orientation and training sessions for both plan administrators and plan members. These will be running throughout the fall so you can attend at your convenience.
October
- October 1st – plan members can access the Homewood EFAP and online resources! They simply need to visit homeweb.ca/Equitable to sign up and create their unique login.
- Orientation and training sessions will continue to be available for both plan administrators and plan members throughout October.
Learn More
The resources listed below answer common questions about Homewood and our EFAP transition:
If you have a question that is not addressed here, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.