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  1. 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
    Advantages for plan sponsors include:
    • 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
    For more information about how Equitable Life benefits plans can support the needs of those seeking gender affirmation surgery view our resources:  You can also contact your Group Account Executive for more information. If you have clients with myFlex plans who are interested in Gender Affirmation Coverage, please contact your myFlex Sales Manager to determine eligibility. 
     

    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
    By surveying plan members and plan sponsor representatives across Canada each year, Benefits Canada works with its Advisory Board to provide timely insights on the employee benefits issues that are most important to Canadians. This year, our Group Vice-President of Western Sales, Meghan Vallis, has provided her expertise as an Advisory Board member.

    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
    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 12/31/2022
    • 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. 

     
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  6. Equitable Life Group Benefits COVID-19 Update

    The test of a great partner is one who stands tall when you and your clients need to rely on them most. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we thought you might find it helpful to have a summary of where we are during this crisis.

    You can download this PDF version to refer to when meeting with your clients.

    We are here with you and for you

    We’ve taken several steps to support you, your clients and their plan members during this crisis, including:

    • Providing premium refunds for insured, non-refund Health and Dental benefits;
    • Waiving the waiting period for short-term disability claimants who tested positive for COVID-19;
    • Extending out-of-country travel coverage for plan members who were unable to return to Canada;
    • Providing increased flexibility for premium payments; and
    • Keeping you and your clients informed with timely Q&As and announcements, webinars, and insights into the impact of COVID-19 on benefits plans.

    As well, to commemorate our 100th Anniversary this year, we donated $4.5 million to purchase and install a new MRI for Grand River Hospital. And we donated $50,000 – $10,000 each – to five charities in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. For more information about our celebrations, check out our website at www.equitable100.ca.

    We have adjusted our business to become digital

    Our business is near 100% digital, so the vast majority of our employees are now working remotely from home and are fully functional.  Since the pandemic began, our IT and operations teams have digitally enhanced more than 20 different processes and services to make it easier for us to integrate with our distribution partners in this new reality.

    We pride ourselves on our customer service

    In 2019, our dedication to customer service was recognized with outstanding survey results.

    • In a 2019 survey of customers from 15 life insurance companies,1 Equitable Life ranked #1 on the Net Promoter Score, a measure used across industries to gauge the loyalty of a firm's customer relationships; and
    • A survey of Group consultants, brokers and third-party administrators 2 ranked Equitable Life in the top two insurers across all categories.

    For 2020, we continue to deliver service at the same level with no disruptions during this crisis. Our Customer Care Centre remains open to support plan members and can be reached at 1.800.265.4556. And our Client Relationship Specialists are available for Plan Administrator questions and support.

    We are financially strong and stable

    We remain financially strong and continue to focus on meeting the needs of Canadians. At the end of the first quarter, our Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test (LICAT) ratio is at 152.5%, well above our goal and the regulatory requirement.

    As the global situation continues to evolve, rest assured that Equitable Life is unwavering in our commitments to you and the communities we serve. We are here with you and for you. Please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager if you have questions or need assistance.

     

     

    1  LIMRA CxP Customer Experience Benchmarking Program, Life Insurance In-Force Experience 2019

    2 NMG Consulting’s Canadian Group Benefits Survey 2019

  7. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – January 2022

    Short-term disability coverage for plan members with COVID-19*

    Please note: This announcement applies only to groups with short-term disability coverage through Equitable Life
     
    As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and the situation evolves, we continue to adjust our practices to ensure ongoing support for our plan members.
     
    PCR tests no longer required for COVID-related STD claims
     
    Some provinces have recently restricted access to COVID-19 PCR testing to only high-risk individuals. To ensure your clients' eligible plan members receive their short-term disability benefits in a timely manner, we no longer require a positive PCR test for plan members submitting COVID-19-related STD claims.
     
    Plan members who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have tested positive for the virus (either with a PCR test or with an at-home rapid test) and are unable to work from home should complete the Short Term Disability Plan Member COVID-19 Claim Form (#421A). 
     
    They should indicate the date of the onset of symptoms or date of their positive test result. Where applicable, they should also indicate the date they have been cleared by public health to end their self-isolation. The form includes an attestation that the information they have provided is accurate.
     
    The employer needs to complete the Short Term Disability Employer COVID-19 Claim Form (#421B). They should indicate the expected return-to-work date according to their provincial health guidelines, or using the date provided by a public health official.
     
    Waiting periods for COVID-related STD claims
     
    To support your clients' plan members during the initial stages of the pandemic, we waived the STD waiting period if a plan member’s absence was due to symptoms or a diagnosis of COVID-19.  Now that COVID-19 has become the “new normal,” we are returning to our standard practices and treating the virus as we would any other illness.
     
    Effective Jan. 1, 2022, standard waiting periods will apply for COVID-related STD claims, according to the terms of the Group policy. This ensures that all plan members submitting a STD claim are treated fairly, no matter what the cause of the claim.
     
    Eligible plan members will receive STD benefits up to a maximum of 10 days from the date of the onset of symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test result, minus the waiting period.
     
    For example, if the plan has a five-day waiting period, and the plan member returns to work nine days after a positive test result, they would be eligible for four days of benefits payments.
     
    If the claimant is still unwell after 10 days, then the standard Short Term Disability Claim Form (#421) needs to be completed.  
     
    If a plan member is admitted to hospital, benefits will be paid following the waiting period applicable to hospital claims. 
  8. RxFood nutrition app added to all group benefits plans

    In this issue:

    • RxFood nutrition app added to all group benefits plans*

    • Coming soon: Coverage information at plan members’ fingertips on EquitableHealth.ca*

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.

     

    RxFood nutrition app added to all group benefits plans

     

    Equitable® has added the RxFood nutrition app to all group benefits plans at no extra cost—giving every plan member more opportunity to make healthy and informed food choices.

     

    RxFood is Canada’s first clinically validated nutrition platform that’s used and trusted by leading health care institutions across the country, such as SickKids Hospital and Diabetes Canada, to help support better health outcomes through nutrition.

     

    Using technology powered by artificial intelligence, RxFood turns everyday meals into personalized insights, practical tips and tailored recommendations that are easy for plan members to act on and build into their routines.

     

    For more information, read our previous eNews article.

     

    Promoting RxFood to plan members

     

    This week, clients will receive a digital toolkit to help them encourage plan members to register for RxFood. Plan members must register to access this free benefit.

     

    The toolkit includes an RxFood brochure, a poster, an email template plan administrators can use to help spread the word, and the video below.
     

    Welcome to RxFood
     

    Coming soon: Coverage information at plan members’ fingertips on EquitableHealth.ca

     

    Starting this month, Equitable plan members will be able to find helpful information about their health coverage more quickly and easily. We’re putting the key details at their fingertips on the EquitableHealth.ca® home page.

     

    Faster access to health coverage details

     

    Our new coverage panel will provide plan members fast access to information about their paramedical coverage for themselves and their covered dependants – including coverage maximums, reimbursement details and more.

     

    Plan members with Health Care Spending Accounts or Taxable Spending Accounts will also be able to check their balances from the home page.

     

    Later this spring, we’ll add information about vision and dental benefits to the coverage panel, too.

     

    Simpler way to find benefits resources

     

    We’re also making it easier for plan members to access key resources. Benefits cards, booklets and other important sections of the site will now be linked directly from the home page.

     

    The video below walks plan members through the new features:

    Coverage information at your fingertips on EquitableHealth.ca
     

    More new features to come

     

    The coverage panel and resources section are the latest enhancements to our new plan member web experience, which we launched last fall. We’ll continue introducing more self-serve features this year.

     

    To learn more about our enhanced plan member home page, contact your Group Account Executive or visit Equitable.ca/effortless.


     
     
  9. January 2026 eNews

    In this issue:

    Meet the next generation of myFlex Benefits® for small business
    Coming soon: A consistent login experience for Equitable Client Access® and EquitableHealth.ca®
    QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2026*

    *We will share this content with your clients.

     

    Meet the next generation of myFlex Benefits® for small business


    Discover the newly enhanced myFlex Benefits®— Equitable’s game-changing solution for small businesses that now includes more flexible, affordable coverage options shaped by advisor feedback.

     

    Join our virtual session to see how myFlex Benefits can help your clients grow and thrive.

     

    Webinar: How to grow your block with flexible solutions
    Tuesday, Feb. 3 | 10–11 a.m. PT / 1–2 p.m. ET
    Register here

     

    The session will be held in English only.

     

    Coming soon: A consistent login experience for Equitable Client Access and EquitableHealth.ca

     

    Starting this month, users logging in to Equitable Client Access®, the secure website for our Individual Insurance and Wealth clients, will need to enter their email address instead of a username. This change will make the Client Access login experience easier and even more secure.

     

    Streamlining the login experience for group benefits clients

     

    When this change takes effect, clients who use the same email address to log into Client Access and EquitableHealth.ca will use one password for both sites.

     

    If a client updates their password on one site, the password for the other site will also automatically update—so they’ll always use the same credentials for both platforms.
     

    Clients who can’t remember the email address we have on file can click ‘Forgot email’ on the Client Access login page.

     

    For added security, a client logging into Client Access may be prompted to enter a one-time code that’s sent to them via email before they can log in.

     

    We will inform clients who have Client Access and EquitableHealth.ca accounts about these changes via email.

     

    Safer, simpler account access

     

    Logging in doesn’t need to include a password. Clients can save time logging in to Client Access and EquitableHealth.ca by creating a passkey.

     

    Passkeys use a person’s face or fingerprint to quickly authenticate their identity – adding an extra layer of protection to their account and eliminating the need to enter a password. And by logging in to the Client Access site with a passkey, clients won’t be asked to enter a one-time code.

     

    Creating a passkey is easy. The following video shows group benefits clients how to create a passkey to log in to EquitableHealth.ca.

     

    Clients who use the same email address to log into Client Access and EquitableHealth.ca will be able to use the same passkey to access both sites. If someone has registered for both sites with different email addresses, they’ll need to create separate passkeys.

     

    QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2026

     

    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 2026 to reflect trends in the volume of claims submitted to the pool, particularly catastrophic claims. We will apply the new pooling levels and fees to future renewal calculations that involve Quebec plan members.

     

    Please note: QDIPC plans to redefine its group sizes in 2027. For more information on how group sizes will change in 2027, visit QDIPC's Terms and Conditions of Pooling.


    If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive.

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