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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)
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Insights from a pandemic: COVID-19 and group benefits plans
We’ve received numerous questions about the impact of COVID-19 and what it will mean for benefits plans in the months ahead. Below is a summary of what we’re seeing so far. In the coming weeks, we’ll explore each of these topics in greater depth.
Disability
Initially, as COVID-19 started to spread, we saw STD claims ramp up quickly. Since then, we’ve seen the number of COVID-19-related STD claims slow significantly. As for LTD, we believe both the incidence and duration of those claims will increase in both the short term and medium term due to COVID-19.
Health and Dental Claims
We saw an overall spike in the volume and paid amounts for drug claims in March as plan members rushed to stock up on their medications. This was followed by a drop in April after most provinces put 30-day refill limits in place. One exception was claims for asthma drugs which surged in March but had no drop in April. Overall, the April plunge will be short-lived; drug costs have already begun to rise in May.
While paramedical and dental claims are down, we are seeing an increase in claims for virtual treatments and emergency dental services. We expect that claims will spike once the current pandemic restrictions are lifted. We’ve already started to see claims rise in provinces that are allowing health providers to re-open.
Despite the shift to more virtual services, we haven’t seen an increase in fraudulent activity. But we continue to be vigilant. Our investigative practices – verifying with the plan member that they received the treatment and have a valid receipt, and that the practitioner has treatment notes – remain the same whether treatment is provided in person or virtually.
Technology
During this time of physical distancing, people are looking for ways to interact with their providers virtually. Fortunately, our business model is almost entirely electronic, and we have several convenient digital options available for plan members and plan sponsors. Our focus in recent weeks has been to remind clients and plan members about these tools and make it as easy as possible for them to activate and use them. And we are continually adding functionality that will allow us to serve our customers even better.
Mental Health/Wellness
Usage of i-Volve, Homewood’s online cognitive behavioural therapy tool, increased significantly in March before levelling back down in April and May. And while EFAP cases fell in April and early-May, the number of cases has begun to climb in recent weeks, particularly for anxiety. In the coming weeks and months, we expect an eventual increase in marital and family issues, as well as depression. We’ve also seen an increase in mental-health-related prescriptions.
Plan Design
It’s too early to predict how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact benefits plan design and how it will change in the coming months. We would love to get your feedback and insights about how benefit plans will evolve and what new features or provisions they should include.
Please share your thoughts and suggestions with your Group Account Executive or myFlex Marketing Manager. Or, you can email your ideas to GroupCommunications@equitable.ca.
- Online CE Credit Courses
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Introducing Equitable EZBenefits: A better group benefits solution for your small business clients
If you serve small business owners, chances are they’re looking for a group benefits solution that’s affordable, sustainable and easy to manage. That’s why we introduced Equitable EZBenefits™. It’s a unique group benefits solution designed with you and your small business clients in mind.
Options to fit every need
Available to organizations with between 2 and 25 employees, EZBenefits offers a range of plan design options to match different needs and budgets. * Whether your client owns start-up or a growing company, we’ve got them covered. Plan options include a mix of Life, Health and Dental coverage. ** Clients can also add Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage or a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA).
Embedded services to support health and wellness
To provide employees with added support for both their physical and mental wellbeing, all our plan design options include:- Anytime, online access to medical professionals through our Virtual Healthcare solution from Dialogue,
- Access to professional counselors – via the telephone, the web or in-person – through our Employee and Family Assistance Program from Homewood Health®, and
- Online resources to help manage health, financial and family challenges through Homeweb, Homewood Health’s online wellness portal.
EZBenefits also comes with built-in HR support through Equitable Life’s partnership with HRdownloads® This takes the heavy lifting out of common human resource tasks with HR support tools and services, including:- HR Technology: An award-winning cloud-based human resource information system to provide help from onboarding to offboarding and everything in between.
- HR Content: Access to a library of over 3,000 HR documents, templates, compliance resources and articles, with 25 free document downloads.
- HR Training: A free Workplace Diversity and Inclusion online training course.
- HR Support: One free Live HR Advice call with a seasoned HR expert.
We know that advising small business clients can be challenging. We’ve created a streamlined benefits process that provides rapid quotes, hassle-free plan implementation, simplified renewals and that is easy to administer. That way, you can spend more time advising your clients and building your business – and less time with administrative back and forth.
Pricing stability for long-term stability
When it comes to attracting and retaining talent, we know your small business clients are competing with larger organizations that have big budgets and lots of resources. That’s why we’ve designed EZBenefits to provide long-term pricing stability for health and dental benefits.
Find out more
Watch this video to learn how EZBenefits can help you and your clients. You can also visit info.equitable.ca/ezbenefits for more details or to request a quote. If you have questions, contact your Equitable Life Group Account Executive. If you don't have an Equitable Life Group Account Executive, email us at EZBenefits@equitable.ca.
* Not available in Quebec.
** Dental coverage is not included with the Bronze plan design option. -
Explore Equitable EZBenefits™
A better group benefits solution for your small business clients
Running a small business isn't easy, especially for companies with smaller budgets and fewer resources. It can be tough to find a competitively priced benefits plan with the features that clients want. That’s why we created Equitable EZBenefits™, a benefits solution designed with the needs of small businesses in mind.
Options to fit every need
Available to organizations with between 2 and 25 employees, EZBenefits offers a range of plan design options to match different needs and budgets. * Whether your client owns start-up or a growing company, we’ve got them covered. Plan options include a mix of Life, Health and Dental coverage. ** Clients can also add Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage or a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA).
Embedded services to support health and wellness
To provide employees with added support for both their physical and mental wellbeing, all our plan design options include:
● Anytime, online access to medical professionals through our Virtual Healthcare solution from Dialogue,
● Access to professional counselors – via the telephone, the web or in-person – through our Employee and Family Assistance Program from Homewood Health®, and
● Online resources to help manage health, financial and family challenges through Homeweb, Homewood Health’s online wellness portal.
Extra HR support for EZBenefits clients
EZBenefits also comes with built-in HR support through Equitable’s partnership with Citation Canada® (formerly HRdownloads). It takes the heavy lifting out of common human resource tasks with HR support tools and services. Features include:
● an award-winning cloud-based human resource information system (HRIS) to provide help from onboarding to offboarding and everything in between,
● access to a library of over 3,000 HR documents, templates, compliance resources and articles, with 25 free document downloads,
● a free Workplace Diversity and Inclusion online training course, and
● one free Life HR advice call with a seasoned HR expert.
A streamlined process to optimize your time
We know that advising small business clients can be challenging. We’ve created a streamlined benefits process that provides rapid quotes, hassle-free plan implementation, simplified renewals and that is easy to administer. That way, you can spend more time advising your clients and building your business – and less time with administrative back and forth.
Pricing stability for long-term stability
When it comes to attracting and retaining talent, we know your small business clients are competing with larger organizations that have big budgets and lots of resources. That’s why we’ve designed EZBenefits to provide long-term pricing stability for health and dental benefits.
Find out more
To learn more about EZBenefits, watch our video to learn more or view our brochure. You can also visit info.equitable.ca/ezbenefits for more details or to request a quote. If you have questions, contact your Equitable Life Group Account Executive. If you don't have an Equitable Life Group Account Executive, email us at EZBenefits@equitable.ca.
* Not available in Quebec.
** Dental coverage is not included with the Bronze plan design option.
- [pdf] Custom Quote - DIA/GIA
- [pdf] Payout Annuity Interest Rate Guarantees (Advisor)
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Equitable Life Savings & Retirement Webinar Series features EZtransact
In 2021, Equitable Life’s S&R team will spotlight various aspects of our competitive fund line up and product offerings. Each webinar in the series will feature a new topic. The series will also give advisors an opportunity to:
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learn more about various products and product features,
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hear from industry professionals,
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learn about investment strategies; and so much more.
This month, Equitable Life is featuring EZtransact™, a new online tool that allows advisors to submit transactions and collect signatures electronically. With a growing need for digital solutions, Equitable Life’s new EZtransact eliminates the hassle of filling out forms, collecting signatures, submitting copies to your MGA, and being tied down to business hours for submitting transactions. This new online tool complements our existing and highly rated online application tool, EZcomplete.
Join your host, Joseph Trozzo, Investment Sales Vice President as he welcomes Nicole Lemon, Product Manager, Savings and Retirement, Equitable Life of Canada to discuss Equitable Life’s electronic capabilities and to experience a demo for EZtransact.
This webinar is not approved for continuing education credits. This webcast is available in English only.
Learn More
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Make It Easy EZtransact Contest
Welcome EZtransactTM, Equitable Life®’s newest online transaction tool that makes managing your client’s policies quick and convenient.
Every EZtransact online transaction submitted between September 13 and November 26, 2021 gives you the chance to WIN! Eligible non-winning Entries will be carried forward to subsequent Draw Dates. So the sooner you start using EZtransact, the more chances you have to win! First draw will be on September 27, 2021.
One $100 winner each week! With a Grand Prize winner of $1000 at the end of the contest! Want to find out more? Please see the contest rules here. You can also contact us at equitablesrmarketing@equitable.ca.
Click here for to start using EZtransact today.
Make It Easy” EZtransactTM Contest: No purchase necessary. Contest period September 13, 2021 to November 26, 2021. Eleven prizes to be awarded, for a total value of $2,100 CAD. Ten weekly prize draws, each for one prize of $100 CAD, to be held every Monday from September 27, 2021 to November 29, 2021. One Grand Prize draw, for one prize of $1,000 CAD, to be held on November 29, 2021. Correct answer to mathematical skill testing question required to win. Open to legal residents of Canada of the age of majority. Eligible non-winning Entries will be carried forward to subsequent Entry Periods and will be eligible on subsequent Draw Dates. Maximum one weekly draw prize per person. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible Entries received during the Contest Period.
Click here to see full contest rules, including no purchase method of entry.