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Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin - July 2021
In this issue:
- Fabien Jeudy takes over as President and CEO*
- Reminder: Equitable Life’s Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare*
- Mental health resources for plan members*
- Recall of Philips CPAP machines*
Fabien Jeudy takes over as President and CEO*
In March, we announced that Fabien Jeudy was appointed as Equitable Life’s next President and CEO. Jeudy officially took over on July 5th, succeeding Ronald Beettam, who is retiring after 16 years with the company.
Jeudy is a collaborative leader with more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, leading actuarial, finance, risk management, distribution, marketing teams and operational teams in the Life & Health Insurance, Wealth Management and Group Benefits markets in Canada, the US, and Asia.
Reminder: Equitable Life’s Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare*
The demand for virtual healthcare services has increased as the pandemic is driving more people to access their health care providers from home.
Thankfully, many virtual healthcare services are available for free to Canadians with provincial health care coverage. We have created a Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare for plan members to easily access a variety of virtual healthcare services. Our guide includes information and links to both free and paid virtual medical care options, including video appointments, health advice over the phone, emergency dental services, and more.
You can find the guide on our website. It’s also available on our plan member website at EquitableHealth.ca.Mental health resources for plan members*
Many Canadians have been experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our partnership with Homewood Health®, all of our clients and their plan members have access to a number of health and wellness resources designed to provide guidance and support.
Homewood’s Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tool, i-Volve, can help plan members identify, challenge and overcome anxious thoughts, behaviours and emotions. Learn more about Online CBT or access i-Volve at Homeweb.ca/Equitable.
As well, Homewood has a number of resources available to help support plan members dealing with increased anxiety during these uncertain times:- Quelling COVID-19 Anxiety
- Managing stress and anxiety
- How to speak to children
- How to stay productive and motivated when working from home
- The COVID-19 Pandemic: Managing the Impact
- Support for First Responders, Front Line Workers and Public Facing Employees
- Financial tips for your financial health
- Increases in Domestic Violence
- Those with family members in long-term care facilities
- COVID-19: Employee Fatigue, Isolation and Loneliness
Recall of Philips CPAP machines*
Last month, electronics company, Philips, issued a recall with Health Canada of some of its Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiLevel PAP) devices and Mechanical Ventilators. The recall was issued due to a foam abatement within the machines that can become loose and cause potential health risks.
To qualify for repair or replacement of these devices, users must register their machine on the Philips website.
CPAP, BiLevel PAP devices and Mechanical Ventilators are eligible for coverage under an HCSA and under some Extended Health Care plans. Plan administrators may want to inform plan members of this recall if the devices are eligible for coverage under their plan.
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Have you heard about Equitable Client Access?
Equitable Client Access® allows clients to self-serve on some of the more popular requests. Thousands of clients have already signed up for Equitable Client Access and are enjoying the benefits of accessing their secure information 24/7.
• Does your client need to change or stop existing Pre-Authorized payment (PAD)? Equitable Client Access can do that.
• Does your client need to change a withdrawal date for a PAD? Equitable Client Access can do that too.
• Address or banking information changes? Equitable Client Access has your clients covered.
• Does your client need to change her beneficiary from Aunt Flora to Uncle Ned? Equitable Client Access can even do that.
Equitable Client Access is a secure online client site that connects clients with policy information, right at their fingertips. In addition to the self-serve features, Equitable Client Access can also provide:
• Insurance coverage and guarantees
• Investment allocation, performance and market values
• Transaction history
• Statements and letters
• Advisor contact information, along with so much more.
If your clients have not signed up for Equitable Client Access, direct them to client.equitable.ca - it only takes a few minutes to set up an account, and connects your clients with their policy information online – anytime!
Have a question about Equitable Client Access? Want to tell your client how to go paperless? Check out our updated FAQ or contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager today.
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Guaranteed Interest Account Application version update
Equitable® Guaranteed Interest Account applications with a version date prior to 2023/09/01 (located on the bottom right-hand corner of the application) will no longer be accepted after December 31, 2023. If you currently have applications with a date that is before 2023/09/01, please destroy them and download digital applications from EquiNet® or order paper applications from our Supply Team.
If you have any other questions, contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager or Equitable’s Advisor Services Team, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 1.866.884.7427 or email savingsretirement@equitable.ca
Posted December 13, 2023® or ™ denotes a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
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Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – September 2021
In this issue:
- Right drug, right dose*
- Responding to New Brunswick’s Biosimilar Initiative*
- Helping plan members access our convenient digital options*
- Reminder: Please access forms on EquitableHealth.ca*
- Over-age dependents losing coverage?*
Right drug, right dose
Equitable Life partners with Personalized Prescribing Inc. to help plan members avoid treatment trial and error
Patients suffering from mental health conditions often need to try several medications before they find one that works for them. This is frustrating and can result in negative side-effects, a longer recovery, lost productivity, or a delayed return to work.
To help plan members avoid this treatment trial and error, we have partnered with Personalized Prescribing Inc. to provide easier access to pharmacogenomic testing for plan members with mental health conditions.
Pharmacogenomics 101
Pharmacogenomics is the study of how an individual’s genes influence their response to medications. Pharmacogenomic testing can help determine how compatible a patient’s body may be to a particular drug, and helps their physician prescribe the most appropriate medication. The goal is to ensure the right drug is prescribed to deliver the most positive outcome with the fewest side effects.
Easier access to pharmacogenomic testing
Through our partnership with Personalized Prescribing Inc., any Equitable Life plan member diagnosed with a mental health condition can purchase a pharmacogenomic test for a discounted price of $399 plus HST – a 20% savings.
We are also introducing the option for plan sponsors to add coverage of pharmacogenomic tests provided by Personalized Prescribing Inc. for mental health conditions.
With this coverage, plan members are eligible for pharmacogenomic testing if:- They have been diagnosed with a mental health condition;
- They are currently taking or have stopped taking a medication for a mental health condition that does not work or has side effects; and
- The pharmacogenomic test is conducted by Personalized Prescribing Inc.
Getting a test is easy. The plan member starts by visiting www.personalizedprescribing.com/equitablelife to request a test kit.
Once they receive their test kit from Personalized Prescribing Inc., they simply provide a saliva sample and send it back (postage is pre-paid). Within 7-10 business days, they receive an Rx Report™ that they can share with their doctor. This report includes details to help their doctor prescribe the right drug and the right dose for them.
Benefits for plan members:- The plan member and their physician receive a full report that is easy to understand;
- The report identifies the most compatible medications for the plan member’s condition and the medications to avoid;
- The physician is able to prescribe the most appropriate medication with the fewest side effects; and
- The plan member avoids medication trial and error.
- Pharmacogenomic testing can be an effective prevention strategy to help employees stay healthy and potentially avoid a mental health-related work absence; and
- Employees suffering from mental health conditions may be more productive when they are on the right medication for them.
Responding to New Brunswick’s Biosimilar Initiative
We are changing coverage for some biologic drugs in New Brunswick in response to the province’s Biosimilar Initiative. These changes will help protect your clients from additional drug costs while still providing access to equally safe and effective biosimilars.
What is New Brunswick’s Biosimilar Initiative?
New Brunswick’s Biosimilar Initiative will end provincial coverage of several originator biologic drugs for some or all conditions beginning on December 1, 2021. Patients who are using these drugs for the affected conditions will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of the drugs to maintain coverage under the province’s government drug plan.
What is the impact on private drug plans?
The most significant risk to plan sponsors who maintain coverage of originator biologics is coordination of benefits (CoB) risk. If other insurance carriers follow suit with the province and delist the originator biologics, it could expose a plan that doesn’t delist them to significant coordination of benefits risk.
For example, consider a patient who is covered under two private plans – their employer plan and a spousal plan. If their employer plan was the first payer for the originator biologic but delists the drug, the spousal plan now becomes the first payor. If the spousal plan continues to cover the cost of the originator, it now pays most or all of the cost of the drug.
How is Equitable Life responding?
To protect your clients’ plans from paying additional and avoidable drug costs, we are changing coverage in New Brunswick for most biologic drugs included in the provincial initiative.
Beginning Feb. 1, 2022, plan members in New Brunswick will no longer be eligible for coverage of Humira, Lantus, Humalog and Copaxone 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 those drugs to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.
How will Equitable Life communicate this change to plan members?
We will be communicating with affected claimants in early-December 2021 to allow them ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage.
Can my client maintain coverage of these biologic drugs?
All groups, except myFlex clients, who wish to opt out of this change and maintain coverage of these originator biologics for New Brunswick plan members can submit a policy amendment. Amendments must be submitted no later than Nov. 30, 2021.
Advisors with myFlex Benefits clients who wish to maintain coverage of these originator biologics for New Brunswick plan members should speak to their myFlex Sales Manager to confirm their eligibility to opt out of this change.
Groups that opt out of this change are also opting out of any future changes to our New Brunswick biosimilar initiative. Their drug plans will continue to cover any additional originator biologics that we subsequently add to the program.
Will this change impact my clients’ rates?
The rate impact of this change and any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.
If plan sponsors opt out of these changes and maintain coverage for the originator biologics, it may result in a rate increase. Any rate adjustment will be applied at renewal.
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 also known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are also biologics. They are highly similar to the originator drug they are based on and have been shown to have no clinically meaningful differences in safety or efficacy.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
Helping plan members access our convenient digital options
Some of your clients’ plan members aren’t benefitting from our secure and convenient digital options to access and use their Group Benefits. They can sign up to submit claims electronically for faster claim payments, get claim payments deposited directly to their bank accounts, easily review their coverage details, quickly access their Group Benefits plan booklet, benefits card and more. We’ve made it easier than ever to sign up, with more resources all conveniently located at Equitable.ca/go/digital.
Your clients’ plan members can visit this link to view:- A brochure with all the high-level instructions they need to get started on EquitableHealth.ca and the EZClaim mobile app
- A full video guide on how to access and navigate EquitableHealth.ca
Reminder: Please access forms on EquitableHealth.ca*
We routinely update our Plan Administrator forms on EquitableHealth.ca based on their feedback and to stay compliant with legal and/or regulatory requirements. If your clients need a form, they should always pull the most recent version from EquitableHealth.ca instead of reusing forms they have saved on their computer. Using an old or outdated form may result in processing delays.
Your clients can access the Plan Administrator forms by following these steps:- Login to EquitableHealth.ca
- Select “Documents”
- Toggle between English and French forms
- Click on the document name to download a PDF copy
Over-age dependents losing coverage?*
Some of your clients’ plan members may have dependents who are reaching the maximum age for eligibility under their group benefits plan.
If they are attending school full-time or are disabled, they may be eligible for continued coverage. Plan members with over-age dependents can simply complete the Application for Coverage of Dependent Child Over Age 21 (Form #441) and submit it through our online document submission tool. They can access the tool by logging into their Group Benefits account at www.equitablehealth.ca and clicking My Resources.
If they are not attending school full-time or disabled, they will no longer be covered under the plan. However, they may be eligible for Coverage2go®. It allows individuals who are losing their group coverage to purchase personal month-to-month health and dental coverage that is affordable, reliable and works like their previous group benefits plan. They can choose the level of coverage and protection that suits their personal situation.
There are no medical questions – they simply need to apply within 60 days of losing their health coverage under their group benefits plan.*
Help your clients’ plan members and their dependents who are losing coverage by letting them know about Coverage2go. They can visit our website to learn more about Coverage2go and to get a quote.
*Quebec residents are not eligible for Coverage2go