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  1. Claims payments and notifications will go fully digital on July 1, 2023 We are committed to providing a better benefits experience. We have secure and convenient digital options to make it easier for plan members to access and use their benefits plan, including EquitableHealth.ca and the EZClaim Mobile app.

    Most plan members are already using these tools to set up email claim notifications and direct deposit. They get their claim updates faster and their claims paid more quickly, right into their bank account.

    To help ensure that all plan members benefit from faster claim payments and notifications, we are making these services fully digital as of July 1, 2023. That means, in most cases, we will no longer mail paper claim cheques or explanation of benefits (EOB) notifications.**

    Plan members who haven’t already activated direct deposit and email notifications will need to activate these services via their plan member account on EquitableHealth.ca. 

    How we’ll help plan members get set up

    Fortunately, it’s simple for plan members to set up these features. And it only takes a few minutes. To make it even easier, we’ve created a Plan Member Guide to Getting Started Online. It includes simple instructions to help plan members use our digital features and get the most from their benefits plan. 

    We have also created a toolkit that plan administrators can email to their plan members to walk them through the simple steps. Access the toolkit here.

    And we’re available to guide plan members who may need help. They can call us at 1.800.265.4556 and select “Plan Member Web Support”. Our Client Care Centre Team is happy to help them activate these services. 

    How we’ll communicate with plan members

    We will start communicating this change to plan members in April. For plan members who aren’t taking advantage of these convenient features, we will send them an email to let them know about the change, with instructions and support on getting set up.

    We will also include an insert with all mailings of paper cheques and EOB notifications sent out. And we will post an announcement and banner on EquitableHealth.ca to let plan members know about the change.
     

    How we’ll support plan members who need extra help or accommodations

    After July 1, 2023, we will follow up with plan members who have not yet activated direct deposit or email notifications for their claims and provide any extra help and support they may need. And, of course, we’ll make exceptions for plan members who aren’t willing or reasonably able to use these features. 

    Questions?

    If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    ** Disability claimants will continue to receive paper Explanation of Benefits notifications in the mail. Some pay-direct drug claims will also continue to be paid by cheque.
  2. There is still time to enter Equitable’s Ring in the Savings Contest!


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    ™ or ® denote registered trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
      For full contest rules, including no-purchase method of entry, see the full contest rules. 

    Posted February 14, 2025

  3. [pdf] Investment Direction - Pivotal Select
  4. Deposits using online banking
  5. Supporting plan members affected by the British Columbia and Northwest Territories wildfires

    Wildfires across Canada are disrupting the lives of many Canadians. During this difficult time, Equitable Life is providing additional support to help affected clients and plan members.

    Prescription refills

    Plan members who have been evacuated and/or lost their medication due to the wildfires will be able to make early refills until September 17, 2023, through TELUS Health, our pharmacy benefit manager.

    Replacement of medical or dental equipment and appliances

    Plan members who need to replace eligible medical or dental equipment or appliances due to the wildfires should first call 1.800.265.4556 to confirm coverage.

    Disability or other benefit cheques

    Plan members receiving disability benefits or other benefit reimbursements via cheques can visit www.equitable.ca/go/digital for instructions on how to sign up for direct deposit. It just takes a few minutes. Plan members can also call us at 1.800.265.4556 if they need help, a replacement cheque or assistance arranging a different mailing address.

    Mental health support

    Unpredictable, large-scale natural disasters can cause people to experience intense reactions, putting a lot of pressure on their mental health. Having coping mechanisms to deal with the current crisis can be a huge help. Any Equitable Life plan member who needs mental health support can visit Homeweb.ca/equitable to access online resources or contact Homewood at 1.888.707.2115.  

    For plan sponsors who have purchased Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), their plan members also have access to confidential counselling services. The EFAP provides plan members with 24/7 access to confidential counselling through a national network of mental health professionals. Whether it’s face-to-face, by phone, email, chat or video, plan members will receive the most appropriate, most timely support for the issue they’re dealing with. 
     

    Plan Administrator support

    We realize that the fires are having a profound impact on regular business operations in B.C. and N.W.T. If you have clients that are unable to carry out day-to-day plan administration, they can call us at 1.800.265.4556. They can also contact their Customer Relationship Specialist for support.
     
    This is a challenging time for advisors, plan sponsors and plan members. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional updates as appropriate. 

    Questions?

    If you need more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

  6. Equitable Life Coronavirus Update – March 13, 2020

    As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, it’s important that you, your clients and their plan members have the most up-to-date information. We are providing timely updates on any developments that impact your clients and their plan members or their benefits coverage.

    Please share this information with your clients. You can direct them to EquitableHealth.ca, where we have posted a version of these updates.

    Coronavirus travel coverage*

    For groups with Travel Assist coverage

    The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued several Travel Health Notices advising Canadians to avoid travel to countries and regions where there have been outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19).

    A good resource to help your clients and their plan members understand how the spread of the coronavirus may impact their travel plans is the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Coronavirus Travel Advice site. The levels of risk by country and region are regularly updated.

    If your clients’ plan members cannot avoid travelling, Public Health recommends they take steps to prevent illness and seek medical attention if they become sick.

    Where to find the latest information

    The list and level of travel advisories can change at any time. Please check the Government of Canada’s Travel Advisor and Advisory page for the most current information.

    If your clients’ plan members have coronavirus symptoms while travelling, please advise them to contact Travel Assist at the numbers listed below for assistance.

    Advise plan members to call before they travel

    If a plan member is travelling anywhere outside of the province or country and their benefits plan includes Travel Assist, plan administrators should advise them to make sure they’re prepared for a medical emergency by following these steps.

    1. Check the Government of Canada’s Travel Advisor and Advisory page. Note that it is important to click on the country to check whether any specific regions of that country have travel advisories.
    2. If they have questions, they should call Travel Assist before they travel for assistance and benefit information.
    3. Pack their Equitable Life benefits card and provincial health card.
    4. In a medical emergency, call the Travel Assist 24-Hour Hotline:
    • Toll-free Canada/USA: 1.800.321/9998
    • Global call collect: 519.742.3287
    • Allianz Global Assistance ID #9089

    Allianz Global Assistance administers Equitable Life’s Travel Assist benefits. Allianz has an international network of medical facilities, transportation providers, medical correspondents and multilingual administrative agents who aid with medical, legal and most travel-related emergencies 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

    Early prescription refills and drug shortages*

    In response to concerns about COVID-19 TELUS Health, our pharmacy benefits manager, has announced it is maintaining its standard rules for refills of medication. Plan members can refill their medications when at least two-thirds of the last dispensed supply has been used.

    If plan members need more than the maximum supply allowed on their plan, they must pay out-of-pocket for the excess amount. They can then submit a claim to ask for an exception request.

    TELUS is taking this position to help maintain access to medication for all patients. They continue to monitor the situation. We will provide an update if it changes.

    Drug shortages

    TELUS Health monitors for drug shortages and updates their system for any unavailable drugs. This helps to ensure accurate claims payment. If a referenced lowest-cost generic drug is unavailable, claims for drugs in the class will be paid at the next lowest-cost generic alternative available.

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients

  7. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – May 2020

    In this issue:

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients


    Easy and convenient digital resources for your clients and their plan members

    During this time of physical distancing, people are looking for ways to interact with their providers virtually. We have several convenient digital tools available to make it easier for your clients and their plan members.


    For plan administrators:


    Plan administrator portal (EquitableHealth.ca)

    Our secure portal allows plan administrators to easily manage their plan anytime and anywhere. Instead of printing and mailing forms, they can make real-time updates at their convenience. The site also makes it easy to:

    • View or upload forms and other important documents;
    • Retrieve billing information;
    • Estimate monthly premium costs; and
    • View announcements, tips and reminders.

    Plan administrators can visit www.equitablehealth.ca to activate their account.

    Digital Welcome Kits

    Instead of paper kits that can easily get lost or quickly become outdated, plan members receive personalized welcome kits via an interactive email, including instructions on how to:

    • Activate their online group benefits account;
    • Download their digital benefits card;
    • Submit claims from their computer or mobile device;
    • Review their coverage details; and
    • Explore health and wellness resources.

    Easy automated payments

    Automated payments are a convenient way to avoid missed payments, suspended claims and disruption. Plan administrators simply complete the pre-authorized debit form and send to GroupCollections@equitable.ca. Or contact Group Collections about online banking and electronic funds transfer (EFT).

    We can help

    For assistance, plan administrators can contact their Client Relationship Specialist or our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.


    For plan members:


    Plan member portal (EquitableHealth.ca)

    By logging into EquitableHealth.ca, plan members have secure 24/7 access to their personalized Group Benefits account. They can:

    • View and submit claims;
    • Review their coverage details; and
    • Access health and wellness resources.

    Electronic claims payment and notifications

    Once plan members have activated their Group Benefits account on EquitableHealth.ca, they can easily set up receiving their claim payments via direct deposit, and their claim notifications via email.

    EZClaim Mobile App

    Submitting claims is fast, easy and secure with the Equitable EZClaim® mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Plan members can view and submit health and dental claims and review their coverage details.

    Digital Benefits Cards

    Instead of digging through their wallets, plan members can download a digital version of their benefits card to their mobile device.

    We can help

    We’ve created a video guide to help plan members access and use their digital resources. For further assistance, plan members can contact our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.


    Alberta government delaying biosimilar initiative

    As we announced in the February 2020 issue of eNews, the Alberta Biosimilar Initiative will require patients using several originator biologic drugs to switch to a biosimilar in order to maintain coverage through their Alberta government sponsored drug plan.

    Due to the increased demands the COVID-19 pandemic is placing on healthcare providers, the Alberta government has postponed the switching requirement. Affected patients will now have until January 15, 2021 to switch to the biosimilar version of their drug in order to maintain provincial coverage.

    We continue to investigate appropriate options to help ensure this provincial change does not unreasonably impact Equitable Life groups and patients and will keep you informed.
    For more information about the Alberta Biosimilars Initiative, consult the Alberta government website.


    Yukon increasing Insurance Premium Tax

    The Yukon Government has announced that it plans to increase its Insurance Premium Tax rates effective January 1, 2021. The premium tax rates for group life and accident and sickness insurance are expected to increase from 2% to 4%. The new tax rates will be applied to premiums paid on or after January 1, 2021.


    Manitoba and New Brunswick relaxing drug limits

    In order to protect the drug supply during the COVID-19 crisis, residents of most provinces were temporarily limited to receiving a 30-day supply of drugs when filling a prescription. Normally, doctors prescribe a 90-day supply for most maintenance-type drugs.

    The Government of Manitoba and the Government of New Brunswick are now relaxing this 30-day limit for prescription drugs where shortages do not exist. They will address potential shortages of specific drugs if necessary.

    As the situation continues to evolve, there may continue to be changes to provincial legislation and prescription limits. Plan members should speak to their pharmacist for the most up to date information.


    Free guide to accessing virtual healthcare

    With many health clinics closed and the healthcare system under strain, people are looking to access a doctor and other health providers virtually.

    As we announced previously, we’ve made it easier for plan members to find the information they need using our Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare. This online resource provides information about and links to a range of virtual health services they need to take care of their health and the health of their family during these challenging times.

    The Guide also indicates which services are covered by public health plan, so there’s no cost to the patient to access them if they provide their valid provincial health card.
    We will continue to update the Guide as more virtual healthcare providers and services become available.

    The Guide is available on both EquitableHealth.ca and Equitable.ca.


    Homeweb for plan members who are losing coverage

    We know these are difficult times for Canadian employers and their employees. As businesses temporarily suspend operations, some employers have had to make the difficult decision to temporarily lay off employees or put their benefits coverage on hold.

    That’s why we were pleased to announce that Homewood Health® and Equitable Life will extend access to Homeweb, a personalized online mental health and wellness portal, for up to 120 days for plan members who have temporarily lost their benefits coverage due to COVID-19.

    Employees and their family members will continue to have access to the Homeweb website and mobile app, including:

    • iVolve, online self-directed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy;
    • Resources to support themselves and their family members through the COVID-19 pandemic;
    • An interactive online Health Risk Assessment; and
    • An online library of tools, assessments and e-courses.

    This will allow businesses undergoing financial hardship to provide some support to employees who are temporarily without benefits coverage.

  8. 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.