Site Search
676 results for PROBLEMGO.com Buying a bribe for a judge to dismiss a case darknet click access client favorite
- [pdf] Replacement requirements by province
- [pdf] FHSA to RSP/RIF Conversion
- [pdf] Gradual Inheritance Strategy
- [pdf] Beneficiary Change Form
- [pdf] Building a Stronger Investment Portfolio
-
Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – March 2022
In this issue:
- CLHIA launches industry anti-fraud initiative*
- Provincial biosimilar update*
- Quebec decreasing insurance premium tax*
- Coming soon: A survey to understand how we can better serve your clients’ needs*
- Remind your clients’ plan members in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to register for Pharmacare *
CLHIA launches industry anti-fraud initiative*
In February, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) announced a new anti-fraud initiative that is using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to further identify and reduce benefits fraud.
Equitable Life is excited to be a part of this important initiative. It will enhance our own fraud detection analytics by using AI to connect the dots across a huge pool of anonymized claims data. This will lead to more investigations and actions to mitigate the impact of fraud on your clients’ plans.
The initiative is being led by the CLHIA and member insurers and is supported by technology provider Shift Technologies. It will be further rolled-out and expanded over the next three years.
Benefits fraud affects more than just insurers. The costs of fraud are felt by employers and their employees as well. We are looking forward to being able to better identify and reduce benefits fraud.
Provincial biosimilar update*
BC expands its biosimilar initiative
BC Pharmacare recently announced it is adding two rapid-acting insulins to the list of drugs included in its ongoing initiative to switch patients to biosimilar versions of high-cost biologics. Patients taking Humalog or NovoRapid for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drugs by May 29, 2022 to maintain coverage under the public plan.
Biologics are drugs that are engineered using living organisms like yeast and bacteria. The first version of a biologic developed is also known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are also biologics. They are highly similar to the originator biologic drugs they are based on, and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions.
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 Humalog or NovoRapid for plan members in BC. Effective June 1, 2022, claimants currently taking Humalog or NovoRapid will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drugs to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan and their BC Pharmacare plan.
We will be communicating this change to plan administrators later this week. And we will be communicating with affected claimants in early April to allow ample time to change their prescription and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage.
If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
Nova Scotia and Northwest Territories introduce biosimilar initiatives
The governments of Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories each recently announced they are launching biosimilar initiatives to switch patients from certain originator biologic drugs to biosimilar versions of the drugs.
Patients in Nova Scotia using affected originator biologic drugs will have until February 2023 to switch to a biosimilar version of their medications in order to maintain coverage under the province’s public drug plans. Patients in the Northwest Territories will have until June 20, 2022, to switch.
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.
Quebec decreasing insurance premium tax*
The Quebec Government has announced that it plans to decrease its Insurance Premium Tax rates effective April 1, 2022. The premium tax rates for group life and accident and sickness insurance are expected to decrease from 3.48% to 3.3%. The new tax rates will be applied to premiums for the billing period beginning on or after April 1, 2022.
Coming soon: A survey to understand how we can better serve your clients’ needs*
We are committed to providing your clients and their plan members with industry-leading service. We’ve introduced several enhancements over the past year to make it easier to do business with us. And we’re continually looking for ways to improve.
In the coming weeks, we will conduct a survey of your clients to help us understand how we can better serve them. On March 28, we will send plan administrators an email with a link to the survey. The survey will remain open until the end of the day on April 11 and will take between five and 10 minutes to complete. Please encourage your clients to participate. Their feedback will be confidential, and their responses will help us improve our service and ensure we’re meeting their expectations. We may also follow up with plan administrators directly to address any concerns they’ve identified.
We know your clients’ time is valuable. So, each plan administrator who completes the survey will be entered into a random draw for a chance to win one of 25 prepaid gift cards for $25.
Remind your clients’ plan members in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to register for Pharmacare*
If your clients have plan members in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan, the provincial government offers a Pharmacare program to support prescription drug costs. Plan members in these provinces must register for their provincial Pharmacare program to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life drug plan.
Registration is easy! We will send two registration reminder messages directly to plan members’ pharmacists and post them on their Explanation of Benefits. We’ve also created a step-by-step guide that your clients can share with their plan members.
English version
French version
For more information about the provincial Pharmacare programs, including how plan members can register, please visit:
For British Columbia residents: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/pharmacare-for-bc-residents
For Manitoba residents: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/pharmacare/apply.html
For Saskatchewan residents: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/health/prescription-drug-plans-and-health-coverage/extended-benefits-and%20drug-plan/drug-cost-assistance#eligibility
-
January 2023 eNews
Responding to Saskatchewan’s biosimilar switch initiative*
We are changing coverage for some biologic drugs in Saskatchewan in response to the province’s biosimilar initiative. These changes will help protect your clients’ plans from additional drug costs that may result from this new government policy while providing access to equally safe and effective lower-cost biosimilars.
Saskatchewan’s provincial biosimilar initiative
Announced in October 2022, the Saskatchewan Biosimilars Initiative ends coverage of ten biologic drugs beginning on April 30, 2023.
Patients in the province who are using these drugs will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of these drugs by April 30, 2023, in order to maintain their Saskatchewan Drug Plan coverage.
Equitable Life’s response
To ensure this provincial change doesn’t result in your clients’ plans paying additional and avoidable drug costs, we are changing coverage in Saskatchewan for most biologic drugs included in the provincial initiative.
Beginning April 30, 2023, plan members in the province will no longer be eligible for most originator biologic drugs if they have a condition for which Health Canada has approved a lower cost biosimilar version of the drug.** These plan members will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.
Communicating this change to plan members
We will inform any affected plan members in early February of the need to switch their medications so that they have ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in treatment or coverage.
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 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.
**The list of affected drugs is dynamic and will change as Saskatchewan includes more biologic drugs in its biosimilar initiative, as new biosimilars come onto the market, and as we make changes in drug eligibility.
Ontario announces 2023 biosimilar switch program*
The government of Ontario recently announced the launch of a biosimilar initiative to switch patients from eight originator biologic drugs to biosimilar versions of the drugs.
Patients in Ontario using affected originator biologic drugs will have until December 29, 2023 to switch to a biosimilar version of their medications in order to maintain coverage under the province’s public drug plans.
We are actively monitoring and investigating the impact of this new policy on private drug plans in Ontario. We plan to implement changes to coverage of biologic drugs in the province in 2023 to help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans. We will provide more details in the coming months.
If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
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 2023.***Dental fee guide increases over 2022***
***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.
Equitable Life ranks high with Canadian group advisors*
Equitable Life ranked second nationally and first in Ontario among major insurers in a recent survey of Canadian group benefits advisors.
NMG Consulting, a leading global consulting firm, conducted in-depth interviews with 130 leading group consultants, brokers and third-party administrators across the country between May and August 2022 for its annual Canadian Group Benefits Study. Based on these interviews, NMG ranked group insurers in six categories, ranging from operational management to technology.
Nationally, Equitable Life ranked either first or second in four of the six main categories:
Advisors in Ontario, in particular, scored Equitable Life very favourably. We ranked #1 overall in the province, finishing first in four of the six overall categories, including: Relationship Management, Operational Management, Underwriting and Claims Management and Technology.
“The fact that advisors regard us so highly in so many categories is a testament to our mutual status and our ability to focus exclusively on our clients and advisors,” said Marc Avaria, Senior Vice President of Group. “We are truly working together to build strong, enduring and aligned partnerships.”
“While we are happy with these results, we won’t rest on our laurels,” added Avaria. “We will continue to dedicate ourselves to providing our clients and advisors with a better benefits experience.”
Here are more of the highlights from this year’s results:
Nationally, we ranked first in all 10 subcategories in Operational Management, including:- Overall service to intermediaries,
- Overall service to plan sponsors,
- New quote process,
- Plan implementation,
- Renewal process,
- Information shared at renewal,
- Accuracy and timeliness of reporting and billing,
- Administration quality and responsiveness,
- Taking ownership and
- Management information quality and availability.
- Company relationship management,
- Ease of doing business,
- Account executive capability,
- Market knowledge,
- Visit/call quality,
- Effective coordination and
- Advice.
- Fairness and timeliness of disability claims (1st)
- Fairness and timeliness of health claims (2nd)
- Fraud management (2nd)
- Competitiveness of pooling charges (2nd)
- Group underwriting flexibility (3rd)
- Health and dental TLR competitiveness (3rd)
- Overall technology – Intermediary (2nd)
- Member experience (2nd)
- [pdf] TFSA Third Party Contribution
-
Canada Post Labour Strike: What you need to know
No postal service? No worries. Equitable® has electronic options that make doing business with us easy and seamless and will help to prevent delays in the event of a postal strike.
Online tools for advisors through EquiNet® (Login to EquiNet to access):
● Use EZcomplete®to submit your individual wealth, individual life and critical illness insurance applications electronically.
● Use Policy/New Business Inquiry and EZtransact™ to keep your business running. You will continue to receive your online correspondence so that you can keep clients up to date with lapses or premiums due.
● Use EZ Upload to submit scanned applications though a secure online connection. Easily upload applications and related documents, all at the click of a button. EZ Upload saves you time and courier costs and can be used for your life insurance, critical illness and savings and retirement business.
Online tools for clients:
● Equitable Client Access® By setting up an account, clients can access their investment and insurance policy information, statements, letters, and payment details, whenever it’s convenient for them. Encourage them to sign up now!
● Online banking: Clients can make deposits to their Equitable savings policies, or make annual premium payments to their insurance policies through online banking. It’s fast and easy … and there’s no need for you to pick-up or deliver a cheque.
● Direct deposit withdrawals: Requests for cash withdrawals can be sent directly to clients’ bank accounts provided we have their banking information on file.
● Courier service: Contracts will continue to be sent via courier. Policy Disbursement cheques, cancellation letters, decline letters or cheques and other urgent correspondence will be couriered to the servicing MGA office for delivery/pickup. All other non-urgent correspondence will be held at Head Office.
Equitable works for you to make it business as usual!
Date posted: September 26, 2025