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August 2019 Advisor eNews
Coming soon:
Tech updates for plan members
Technology doesn’t stand still, and neither does your clients' businesses. That’s why we continually invest in technology to make things easier for your clients and their employees.
Faster claims processing on Equitable EZClaim® Mobile
Equitable Life now provides real-time processing of massage therapy, physiotherapy and chiropractor claims submitted via the EZClaim Mobile app.
That means plan members are able to find out the status of their claim almost instantaneously. And, for approved claims, they will receive payment even sooner - often in as little as 24 hours.
In order to allow for instantaneous processing and faster payment, plan members will be prompted to enter some additional information including the practitioner’s name, the date of the expense, and the type and amount of the expense, when submitting their claims for these services.
Equitable Life plan members can submit all types of health and dental claims via EZClaim Mobile, including co-ordination of benefits and Health Care Spending Account claims. Currently, 43% of all claims are submitted through the user-friendly app.
AS part of our ongoing efforts to improve the mobile claims experience for plan members, we've also added biometric login functionality to allow plan members to sign in to the app using their face or fingerprint. And we've redesigned our landing page on the mobile app to make it easier for plan members to navigate the various features of the app.
We will be announcing this enhancement to plan members on EquitableHealth.ca
Introducing InpatProtect:
Health coverage for employees who are new to Canada
For a new employee starting to work in Canada, looking after basic health needs can be difficult.
There’s a waiting period for provincial health coverage, and group benefits plans don’t cover the physician, hospital or emergency services that they or their eligible dependents may need during their initial months in the country. They could end up incurring significant unexpected health expenses.
That’s why Equitable Life has launched InpatProtectTM. InpatProtect provides temporary coverage to look after the basic health needs of employees and their eligible dependents during their transition to Canada. Your clients can recruit from outside the country knowing that their employees will have some protection in the event of a medical need, including an emergency.
For up to 90 days, InpatProtect will cover employees and their eligible dependents for basic services that would normally be reimbursed under provincial health plans, such as:
- Physician services
- Prescriptions for medications
- Diagnosis and treatment for illness or injury
- Hospital services
- In-patient services
- Drugs prescribed and delivered as an inpatient in-hospital
- Out-patient services
- Emergency services
- Ambulance services
- Emergency dental services
Contact your Group Marketing Manager or myFlex Sales Manager for more information about this new product from Equitable Life.
De-listed service providers
As part of our ongoing initiative to have Group Benefits plans only reimburse eligible claims, we conduct reviews of the billing and administrative practices of service providers, including clinics, facilities and medical suppliers.
As a result of these reviews we may de-list certain providers. We will no longer accept, or process claims for services and/or supplies obtained from those providers. The plan member can still choose to obtain services or supplies from these providers, but Equitable Life will not provide reimbursement for the claims.
Review Equitable Life’s de-listed service providers
The delisted service provider list is also posted on EquitableHealth.ca for plan members to review to determine if their claim(s) are eligible for reimbursement under their Group Benefits plan.
For more information about protecting group benefits plans from abuse, check out our articles.
1 Based on Equitable Life health and dental claims submitted between January 2019 – March 2019
Google Home and Google Assistant are registered trademarks of Google LLC.
® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada unless otherwise indicated. - Physician services
- Product at a glance- Children
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Message from Ron Beettam
As COVID-19 continues to spread, we want to reassure you that we remain ready and committed to support you and your clients.
We have a robust and well-tested business continuity plan in place and our business is almost 100% digital. Almost 90% of our employees are now working remotely from home and are maintaining the high level of service you have come to expect from us. We still have a fully functioning Document Services Centre that is managing our incoming and outgoing mail. Our sales and customer service teams remain open to support you and your clients.
Equitable Life’s online application process, EZcomplete®, offers non face-to-face capability and continues to be your go-to resource for managing your business virtually. We are receiving a record number of online applications and are committed to helping you maintain a certain degree of daily activity. EZcomplete® non-face-to-face works for all life, critical illness and segregated fund applications.
Advisors will be pleased to know that we have increased non-medical limits for life insurance. We are also looking at other underwriting changes, digital delivery of life insurance contracts and additional digital payment options.
Our Savings & Retirement advisors will find our new Transaction Authorization Requirements table a valuable resource for submitting forms and documents. Can’t meet with your client in person to get a signature? Not to worry. You can have your client sign a letter of direction and take a picture to authorize a number of transactions.
Transacting in a non face-to-face environment can be a challenge but we will continue to revisit existing processes and look for ways to modify requirements to help you to continue managing your business. All of us are facing an unprecedented number of urgent situations where there is no established protocol. Our commitment to you and your clients is to respond quickly, and to be flexible where we can, tailoring solutions to specific needs.
To stay up-to-date, please refer to Equitable Life’s COVID-19 information page. There you will find the latest information for all lines of business.
As the global situation continues to evolve rapidly, we ask for your patience as our solutions also evolve quickly and accordingly. Rest assured that Equitable Life is unwavering in our support, and we will be here to help you protect what matters most to Canadians.
Ron Beettam, President and CEO -
Anti-money laundering legislation changes for Savings & Retirement forms and applications
To comply with the Government of Canada’s anti-money laundering legislation and FATCA/CRS changes, Equitable Life® has updated its Savings and Retirement forms and applications. New online forms and applications are available to download from EquiNet®. Paper applications are also available to order from Equitable’s Supply Team. For a complete list of all forms and applications affected by the anti-money laundering legislation, refer to Anti-money Laundering Legislation Requirements Summary.
What should I do if I have existing paper applications?
If you currently have paper applications (Form #1383, #1384, #799, #355) with a version date that is before April 2, 2021, Equitable Life will continue to accept them, with the caveat that additional information may be required from you and your client to comply with anti-money laundering legislation.
How long can I use my existing paper applications with a version date before April 2, 2021?
Paper applications (Form #1383, #1384, #799, #355) with a version date prior to 2021/04/02 (located on the back page and in the bottom right-hand corner of the application) will no longer be accepted after July 1, 2021. If you have applications with a date that is before 2021/04/02, please destroy them and use the fillable/savable PDF on EquiNet. You can also order paper applications from our Supply Team.
Want to be sure you always have the most up-to-date application? Try our EZcomplete® online application platform. EZcomplete makes it easy to process your non face-to-face applications and allows your clients to provide their signature remotely on their own device.
To learn more about the Government of Canada’s anti-money laundering legislation and FATCA/CRS review the following links.
Government of Canada - Guidance on the Common Reporting Standard
Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
If you have any other questions, contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager.
® denotes a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
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Update: Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefit Extension
As it proposed in its 2022 Budget, the federal government has confirmed it is extending the Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefits period from 15 weeks to 26 weeks later this year. The official implementation date and details have not yet been confirmed by the government and we will share further details once they are available. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know.
We will not require or implement any changes to our disability plan designs based on this extension. However, plan sponsors may wish to amend their short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) plans and policies to align with the new 26-week EI period.Impact to short-term disability (STD) benefits integrated with EI
Plan sponsors with EI-integrated STD may wish to adjust their benefits to line up with the new 26-week extension.
Impact to plans with no STD benefits
For plan sponsors who do not offer STD, they have the option of adjusting their LTD plans to the new 26-week elimination period if members claim EI prior to LTD. This adjustment would help to avoid the plan member receiving disability and EI payments at the same time and potentially being required to return funds due to overpayment.Considerations for plan sponsors
Plan sponsors who amend their STD or LTD policies to align with the new 26-week EI period should note that there may be inadvertent delays to their employees’ return to work. While collecting EI, injured or ill employees do not benefit from our early intervention services or rigorous claims management practices that could help them get back to work sooner. So, by delaying the availability of STD or LTD coverage, the advantages that these programs are intended to provide could also be delayed.Impact to Premium Reduction Program (PRP)
The Premium Reduction Program (PRP) allows employers with eligible short-term disability plans to pay lower EI premiums. The eligibility criteria have not changed at this time. The government plans to review the PRP in 2024.Questions
If you have questions about these changes or what they mean for your clients’ disability plans, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
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Supporting plan members affected by the British Columbia and Northwest Territories wildfires
Wildfires across Canada are disrupting the lives of many Canadians. During this difficult time, Equitable Life is providing additional support to help affected clients and plan members.
Prescription refills
Plan members who have been evacuated and/or lost their medication due to the wildfires will be able to make early refills until September 17, 2023, through TELUS Health, our pharmacy benefit manager.
Replacement of medical or dental equipment and appliances
Plan members who need to replace eligible medical or dental equipment or appliances due to the wildfires should first call 1.800.265.4556 to confirm coverage.
Disability or other benefit cheques
Plan members receiving disability benefits or other benefit reimbursements via cheques can visit www.equitable.ca/go/digital for instructions on how to sign up for direct deposit. It just takes a few minutes. Plan members can also call us at 1.800.265.4556 if they need help, a replacement cheque or assistance arranging a different mailing address.
Mental health support
Unpredictable, large-scale natural disasters can cause people to experience intense reactions, putting a lot of pressure 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.
For plan sponsors who have purchased Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), 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 will receive the most appropriate, most timely support for the issue they’re dealing with.
Plan Administrator support
We realize that the fires are having a profound impact on regular business operations in B.C. and N.W.T. If you have clients that are unable to carry out day-to-day plan administration, they can call us at 1.800.265.4556. They can also contact their Customer Relationship Specialist for support.
This is a challenging time for advisors, plan sponsors and plan members. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional updates as appropriate.Questions?
If you need more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.