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  1. [pdf] Homewood Health Online
  2. [pdf] Do you know Dakari and Ash
  3. [pdf] Do you know Leona
  4. [pdf] Introducing EZBenefits: A better benefits experience for small business
  5. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – October 2020

    In this issue:

    • Group benefits enrolment just got a lot easier*
    • Critical Illness added to myFlex Benefits® selection tool**
    • ASO dental available down to 3 lives
    • QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2021*

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients
    **Indicates content that will be shared with myFlex Benefits groups only

    Group benefits enrolment just got a lot easier*

    Our Online Plan Member Enrolment tool now makes it simple to add new employees to the benefits plan.

    Enrolling new plan members can be overwhelming – for both you, your clients and their employees. It’s challenging to ensure plan members complete the necessary paperwork before the enrolment deadline, and time consuming to manually load new members.

    That’s why we’re updating our plan member enrolment experience. Beginning November 2nd, 2020, all Equitable Life groups will be able to easily enrol new employees in the benefits plan with our Online Plan Member Enrolment Tool.

    Benefits of Online Plan Member Enrolment

    Our Online Plan Member Enrolment tool offers a more secure and efficient option to traditional paper enrolment. Employees are able to enrol in their benefits plan in just minutes from their computer or mobile device.

    The user-friendly interface was built with the plan member in mind. They can easily enter all their enrolment information, including dependent details, banking information for direct deposit of claim payments and details for coordination of benefits. They can even designate their beneficiary electronically.

    The online enrolment tool also lessens the effort for plan administrators to onboard new hires. The tool reduces errors and rework that can occur due to spelling mistakes or missing information on paper forms. And the days of chasing plan members for their paper enrolment forms are gone. Once they enter a few employee details, our system will automatically send out an email to each plan member, inviting them to enrol in their benefits program. And there will be no need to send reminders or follow up with employees about their benefits enrolment. It’s all done automatically.

    Online plan member enrolment is available to all traditional and myFlex Benefits plan administrators with update access beginning November 2nd, 2020. Plan administrators just choose “New” from the “Certificate” view in EquitableHealth.ca to get started.

    This enhancement is for plan administrators who have update access on EquitableHealth.ca. If your clients are not sure if they have update access, they can contact their Equitable Life Client Relationship Specialist or myFlex Benefits Team for support.

    Learn More

    We’ve created Online Plan Member Enrolment User Guides to support your clients and their plan members with this new tool:

    We’re also offering a series of webinars to help your clients learn about Online Plan Member Enrolment. Plan administrators will receive an invitation with links to register for the time that best suits their schedule.

    Help your clients spend less time administering group benefits. Contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager to learn more about our enhanced online plan member enrolment.

    Critical Illness added to myFlex Benefits selection tool*

    For many employers, mandatory Critical Illness (CI) coverage is an important part of their group benefits package. It provides proactive protection against life-altering illness, helping give plan members and their families a sense of security.

    While CI is available on myFlex Benefits plans, it was not built into our benefits selection tool since there is no action required by the plan member.

    Beginning November 2nd, 2020, we are adding a CI page to the myFlex Benefits selection tool that appears when this coverage is included as part of the plan. There are no options to choose – plan members simply review their CI coverage and carry on with the benefits selection process. It keeps the process smooth, while ensuring plan members fully appreciate their employer’s contributions.

    Adding CI to the benefits selection tool also simplifies the budgeting process for employers. Now that CI is included in the selection tool, employers no longer need to break out the amount billed for CI from their contribution per employee when loading flex allocations.

    To learn more about our myFlex Benefits selection tool or Critical Illness coverage for myFlex Benefits, contact your myFlex Sales Manager.

    ASO dental available down to 3 lives

    Beginning November 2nd, 2020, groups with as few as three full-time employees will be able to self-insure their Equitable Life dental benefits with an Administrative Services Only (ASO) funding arrangement.

    Currently, dental benefits are only available on an ASO basis for groups with 20 lives or more.

    In an ASO arrangement, Equitable Life administers the benefits plan but does not insure it. The plan sponsor pays for all eligible claims, as well as the expenses of administering the plan.

    Why ASO?

    Choosing an ASO funding arrangement allows plan sponsors to save on premiums. With a traditional insured funding arrangement, a portion of every premium dollar includes a charge for the risk that the insurer is assuming to cover the claims.

    With an ASO arrangement, the plan sponsor assumes all risk, so they avoid the risk charge. And since dental claims are usually more predictable than other benefits, there is typically less risk involved in covering those claims.

    For more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2021*

    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 2021 to reflect trends in the volume of claims submitted to the pool, particularly catastrophic claims.

    Size of group (# of certificates) Threshold per certificate 2021 Annual factor (without dependents) Annual factor (with dependents)
    Fewer than 25 $8,000 $251.00 $691.00
    25 - 49 $16,500 $165.00 $455.00
    50 - 124 $32,500 $94.00 $258.00
    125 - 249 $47,500 $68.00 $187.00
    250 - 499 $72,000 $49.00 $135.00
    500 - 999 $95,000 $40.00 $111.00
    1,000 - 3,999 $120,000 $35.00 $95.00
    4,000 - 5,999 $300,000 $16.00 $44.00
    6,000 and over Free market - Groups not subject to Quebec Industry Pooling Free market - Groups not subject to Quebec Industry Pooling Free market - Groups not subject to Quebec Industry Pooling

    We will apply the new pooling levels and fees to future renewal calculations that involve Quebec plan members.

  6. January 2024 eNews

    In this issue:

    • Equitable scores high marks with group advisors*
    • REMINDER: Equitable's National Biosimilar Program starts in March*
    • 2024 dental fee guide updates*
    • Homewood Health wins HR Reporter Reader's Choice award for EFAP excellence*
    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
     

    Equitable scores high marks with group advisors*

    Equitable ranked first for operational service among major group insurers in a recent study of Canadian group benefits advisors.  

    NMG Consulting, a leading global consulting firm, conducted in-depth interviews with 146 Canadian group benefits brokers, consultants, MGAs and third-party administrators between May and August 2023 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 ranked among the top three in five of the six main categories, including number one for Operational Management:
     
     
    Category Ranking
    Operational management 1st
    Initiatives (including seminars & training) 2nd
    Technology 3rd
    Underwriting & claims management 3rd
    Relationship management 3rd

    “Advisors regard us highly in many categories. That’s a testament to our mutual status and ability to focus exclusively on our clients and advisor partnerships,” said Marc Avaria, Executive Vice President, Group Insurance Division. “We are truly working together to build strong, enduring and aligned partnerships with our clients and advisors.”
     
    “We’re delighted with these results and are committed to continuously advancing our delivery of a better benefits experience for our clients and advisors,” added Avaria. 

    More highlights from the latest NMG survey

    Nationally, we ranked first in seven subcategories in Operational Management, including:
    • Overall service to intermediaries,
    • Overall service to plan sponsors,
    • New quote process,
    • Plan implementation,
    • Renewal process,
    • Accuracy and timeliness of reporting and billing, and
    • Administration quality and responsiveness
    In Underwriting and Claims Management, we finished in the top three for flexibility of underwriting (2nd).

    And we were rated strongly in Technology, finishing in the top three for:
    • Overall technology for Intermediary (2nd)
    • Member experience (3rd)
    • Quality of technology for the plan sponsor (2nd)
    • Quality of mobile application (2nd)
     

    REMINDER: Equitable's National Biosimilar Program starts in March*

    In October 2023 we announced the upcoming launch of our national biosimilar program. Starting March 1, 2024, we are expanding our biosimilar switch initiatives to provide a single, nationwide** program.  

    Why we’re making the switch 

    Over the past few years, most provinces have introduced policies to delist some originator biologic drugs. They require most patients to switch to biosimilar versions of those drugs to be eligible for coverage under their public drug plans. Soon, it is expected that all provincial drug plans will cover only biosimilars. 

    Equitable’s National Biosimilar Program simplifies drug plan coverage by replacing our provincial programs. It also protects clients from additional drug costs while offering access to lower-cost biosimilars deemed equally safe and effective by Health Canada.  

    How will this affect clients' drug plans?

    Because we have already introduced biosimilar switch initiatives in most provinces, the impact of this change will be minimal. It will primarily affect plan members in provinces or territories where we haven’t already required the switch to biosimilars. It will also affect plan members who are taking biosimilars that were not originally included in the switch initiative for their province.     

    Regardless of where they live, plan members across Canada 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. Plan members already taking the originator biologic will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable plan. We will support their transition with education, personalized communication, and resources.  

    Advance notice for plan members

    We contacted affected claimants in early December to give them enough time to change their prescriptions 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 Account Executive.     
     ** Excludes plan members in Quebec who participate in a separate provincial program. 
     

    2024 dental fee guide updates*

    Each year, Provincial and Territorial Dental Associations publish fee guides. Equitable uses these guides to help determine the reimbursement limits for dental procedures.

    For your reference, you may wish to refer to the 2024 list of the average dental fee increases for general practitioners.
     

    Homewood Health wins HR Reporter Reader's Choice award for EFAP excellence*

    Equitable is proud to congratulate our Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP) partner, Homewood Health®, for winning the Canadian HR Reporter 2023 Reader’s Choice Award in Employee Assistance Plan services. Homewood’s EFAP provides confidential support for a range of health, family, money, and work issues through face-to-face, phone, email, chat, or video counselling. The award recognizes their high standards in counselling and mental health support services. 

    The annual Reader’s Choice Awards identify organizations that provide outstanding expertise and services for HR professionals and employers across Canada. Those organizations provide valuable information on useful, innovative HR and employee benefits products and programs, in categories such as recruitment, mental health services, employee engagement programs, and more. 

    Sharing Homewood Health with your clients 

    Since 2019, we have worked with Homewood to provide mental health services for Equitable benefits plan members. 

    Your clients can access Homewood Health’s award-winning EFAP for an additional fee by adding it to their benefits plan. Services are available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

    All Equitable clients also have free access to Homewood Health Online in their benefits plan. Homewood Online provides a variety of helpful wellness resources, including: 

    • Homeweb, an online and mobile health and wellness portal, 
    • Health Risk Assessment, a group of assessment tools to help plan members identify and overcome health and wellness barriers, and  
    • Online Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) through Sentio to manage symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.  

    Questions

    To learn more about Homewood Health’s services, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Account Executive. 

  7. April 2024 eNews

    In this issue:

    • Competitive – and easy – benefits plans for your small business clients
    • Simplifying benefits enrolment for your clients*
    • NEW time-off tracking tool from HRdownloads*
    • Focus on benefits fraud: Protecting your clients’ plans from abuse*
    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients who receive these benefits.
     

    Competitive – and easy – benefits plans for your small business clients

    Supporting your small business clients can be a challenge. It’s tough to find a competitively-priced benefits plan with the features they want. Small business owners may also need more of your time – especially if this is their first benefits plan.
     
    That’s why we created Equitable EZBenefits™, a benefits solution designed with the needs of small businesses in mind. With a range of plan design options and valuable embedded services for plan sponsors and plan members, EZBenefits is available for groups with 2 to 25 employees. And to make things simpler for you, we’ve created an Advisor Concierge Service exclusively for EZBenefits. Whether you have a question about submitting a quote request for a new client or an issue with an in-force client, our Concierge Service is your go-to resource for EZBenefits support.  

    Don’t have any EZBenefits clients yet?

    To learn more about EZBenefits, watch our video to learn more or view our brochure.

    Simplifying benefits enrolment for your clients*

    Navigating the benefits enrolment period can be overwhelming – for you, your clients and their employees. It’s difficult to ensure all plan members complete the necessary paperwork before the enrolment deadline. 

    That’s why we offer our secure Online Plan Member Enrolment tool at no extra cost to plan sponsors. The tool simplifies the onboarding process for your clients and their plan members by eliminating the need for paper enrolment forms.
     
    It also makes enrolment faster and easier for your clients by:

    • Reducing errors and rework that can occur due to spelling mistakes or missing information on paper forms; and
    • Sending automatic enrolment reminders to plan members, resulting in fewer late applicants. 
    Our user-friendly interface allows plan members to:
    • Enrol in their benefits plan in just minutes from their computer or mobile device;
    • Easily enter all their enrolment information, including dependent details, banking information for direct deposit of claim payments and details for coordination of benefits; and
    • Designate their beneficiary electronically. 

    Ready to share our Online Plan Enrolment Tool with your clients? Get them started with these helpful resources:

    To learn more about how Online Plan Member Enrolment can simplify benefits enrolment for your clients, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Account Executive.

    NEW time-off tracking tool from HRdownloads*

    Through our partnership with HRdownloads®, EZBenefits clients now have complimentary access to Timetastic —a time-off tracking tool that can make it easier to manage employee vacation time, sick days and more.
     
    Timetastic integrates seamlessly with HRdownloads and includes a mobile app to help manage time-off requests from any mobile device.
     
    To see Timetastic in action, check out this demo.
     
    EZBenefits also includes other helpful resources and tools from HRdownloads that can make daily human resources tasks easier, including:
    • A robust, award-winning HR management platform (HRIS);
    • HR documents, templates, compliance resources and articles; and
    • A live HR advice helpline. 
    All of our other Equitable group benefits clients can get a 10% discount on HRdownloads services. Visit the link below or contact your Account Executive for more information.

    Learn more about accessing HRdownloads.

    Focus on benefits fraud: protecting your clients’ plans from abuse*

    According to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA), benefits fraud costs insurers and plan sponsors millions of dollars each year, which can lead to increased premium costs.
     

    Resources for your clients

    Both plan administrators and plan members play a role in preventing benefits abuse. So, we’ve compiled some resources you can share with your clients to help them understand what benefits fraud is and how to prevent it: Encourage your clients to educate their plan members about the potential consequences of benefits fraud, including losing their benefits, losing their job and even jail time. 

    How we’re fighting benefits fraud

    Our Investigative Claims Unit (ICU) works to detect and eliminate benefits fraud. We use a variety of investigative techniques, including CLHIA-led industry tools to detect and eliminate benefits fraud: 
    • Joint Provider Fraud Investigation Program: A robust program that allows insurers to collaborate on fraud investigations that affect multiple insurers;
    • Data Pooling Program: An initiative that pools data between insurers and uses advanced artificial intelligence to further identify and reduce benefits fraud; and
    • Provider Alert Registry: A registry that allows insurers to view the results of other insurers’ anti-fraud investigations into specific practitioners. 
    To learn more about benefits fraud and Equitable’s commitment to protecting our benefits plans, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Account Executive.
  8. 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 due to the postal strike.


    Online tools for advisors through EquiNet® (Login to EquiNet to access):

    ● Use EZcomplete®to submit your savings & retirement and 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!

    Posted November 25, 2024
  9. [pdf] Advisor Attestation - Stylus Signatures
  10. Individual Insurance