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Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – September 2021 In this issue:
*Indicates content that will be shared with your clients
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.
How it works
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.
Benefits for employers:
- 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.
To learn more about pharmacogenomic testing through Equitable Life and Personalized Prescribing Inc., please visit www.personalizedprescribing.com/equitablelife. To request coverage for your clients, please contact your Equitable Life Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
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
If your clients’ plan members need help activating these services, they can give us a call at 1-800-265-4556 and select the option for web support. We’d be happy to help!

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
Did you miss our Equimax update in December?
Equimax – a better and stronger solution!

Discover the latest Equimax updates

Great news! We’ve made further updates to our Equimax^® insurance solution to better serve clients.

Here are some of the changes:

● A new guaranteed 10 pay premium option for Equimax Wealth Accumulator^®.
● You can now add an Excelerator deposit option (EDO) on Equimax Estate Builder^® and Wealth Accumulator plans with a 10 Pay premium option (term rider not required at issue of the policy).
● We increased our flexibility with EDO. This will make it easier for clients to stop and start EDO contributions without losing their maximum approved contribution room. On top of that, these changes will apply to all inforce policies. A single set of EDO rules will apply to every Equimax policy whether it’s issued tomorrow or 10 years ago, making it simpler to help clients manage their policies.
● We increased the maximum amount of Equimax coverage that can be applied for without a special quote from $20M to $25M.

Equimax is now an even better and stronger solution. For a full breakdown of these product updates visit our splash page.

*Video available in English with French and Chinese sub-titles.

Please refer to our Transition Rules for all the details on processing your applications.

Need more information? Please contact your Equitable wholesaler.
Client-Focused Videos A Great Tool to Start Meaningful Conversations with clients

We are committed to helping advisors connect with clients. To support this, Equitable created a video that explains how life and critical illness insurance can provide financial support when the unexpected happens.

This video is a great tool which can help advisors drive those important conversations and guide clients toward the best solution to fit their needs.

You can watch our new video here: English - French

Just a quick reminder, we have also created a series of videos to help clients understand the different insurance options. Share them with your clients today:
● Equimax^® participating whole life for children
● Dividends
● EquiLiving^® critical illness insurance
● Term life insurance
● Equitable Generations^™ universal life insurance

Contact your Equitable Wholesaler – we’re here to help!
Simpler juvenile policy approvals
A win for you and clients

Get insurance protection in place more quickly for kid’s policies with an enhanced juvenile underwriting model. It’s an industry-leading predictive model that extends existing auto-assess capabilities for your juvenile applications.

What does this mean for you?
You will notice reduced wait times as clients get the protection they need faster. And you will receive your commission quicker as well. This gives both you and your Equitable^® underwriter time to focus on supporting your complex cases to bring you our best offer. The new auto-approval model for juvenile policies is a win for all.

Give us a try!
See for yourself how we can help you get protection in place for clients quickly.

Contact your Equitable wholesaler for more information.

^® or ^TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
[pdf] Life Quick Reference Guide
NEW Jump Around feature available on EZcomplete One of the most requested features is available on EZcomplete® effective November 19, 2022. We like to call it “jump around”. It’s the ability to jump from one part of the application to another and back again. You no longer have to complete the application one section after another in order. This will allow a lot more flexibility when submitting a policy application.

This functionality is helpful as you can input basic client information ahead of a meeting to review with the client later. After completing the Owner’s step (step 1), you could jump to step five (Subsequent Payment) or step six (Third Party). This allows you the opportunity to easily jump back and add a second owner once you have all their details from the client. You can also return to your dashboard, and when you go back into the application, you will be returned to the owner’s section.

Hitting the Save button will save the information you have inputted already, so after jumping ahead to a different section, you can return to complete those questions knowing your progress will be saved. When you have completed all the necessary fields, hitting the Done button will validate all the information and the step will be complete. A check mark will appear beside each completed and validated step.
Please note, if you go back to a previously validated step and change information you will have to go through all subsequent steps and complete and validate them again by clicking next if nothing has changed or making any necessary changes.

To Equitable Life®, the term EZ really means something! Learn more about how doing business with Equitable Life continues to be easy.

Questions: Please contact your Regional Sales Manager

® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
EAMG market commentary

March 11, 2022

Since Russia first invaded the Ukraine, there’s been no shortage of headlines and commentaries trying to make sense of the situation. This is a tragedy that from a humanitarian standpoint that can’t be made sense of and our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine and those impacted. From a market standpoint, the common thinking is that geopolitical risks, aka war, historically haven’t been associated with significant corrections in the market. So far, the market reaction has been consistent with the historical experience, with the S&P 500 down only about 1% since the start of the conflict and the S&P/TSX Composite Index up close to 4%, despite the heightened daily volatility.

Given the obvious challenges of predicting how these types of conflicts play out, we look to financial market indicators to give us a better sense of the potential risks in the market. And in this respect, the most obvious indicator is oil. Since the start of the Russian invasion, oil has rallied roughly 18%, which is even more impressive considering it had already rallied 21% from the start of the year to the beginning of the conflict.

While we don’t know what will happen to energy markets over the coming weeks, we do know that oil shocks can result in higher inflation and sometimes lower growth. Inflation was already rising, although strategists generally viewed this as temporary on the expectation that the covid related supply chain disruptions and reopening pressures were the primary causes that would eventually self-correct. But as the Russian-Ukraine conflict intensifies, consensus views are moving towards inflation becoming more structural in nature. There are growing risks this will change consumer behaviour, causing inflation to be longer lasting than initially expected. Much of this has to do with the fact that as the world’s 3rd largest exporter of oil, Russia has taken a material amount of oil production capacity offline, resulting in significantly higher oil and gas prices. This also explains the significant outperformance of energy equities, and the broader S&P/TSX Composite Index vs US counterparts on a YTD basis.

While there are beneficiaries to higher oil prices, the consumer certainly isn’t one of them given gas prices reflect movements in the oil market. So far in 2022 prices paid at the pump have gone up 30%, one of the fastest paces on record. This, in addition to food price increases, will put strain on the consumer as higher bills divert dollars away from discretionary spending and potentially slow economic growth.

The other factor we’re closely watching is the overall health of the European economy, to which Russia supplies about 40% of Europe’s natural gas, 25% of their oil imports and 45% of their coal imports. While the European Commission has indicated plans to cuts their dependence on Russian energy well before 2030, the short-term impacts will be costly as Europe and other global markets see higher energy prices follow. As well, food prices will likely become an issue for the region given the interruption of supply out of the Black Sea which has driven grain and oilseed prices to levels not seen since 2008. Investors to date have priced in significant risk, evidenced by the performance of the Stoxx 50 which is down 17% YTD, one of the worst performing markets across the global universe.

While commodity prices are just one indicator, we are mindful that they could be telling us inflation may be more persistent than previously expected. From a long-term perspective this hasn’t changed our view of the equity market. As a result of potential near term impacts however, we have reduced our exposure to European markets in favour of the Canadian market and as well we have added inflation and risk hedges with sector allocations to energy, consumer staples and utilities, while still maintaining our overall long-term target levels to equities. There is no direct exposure to Russia in any of the three Equitable Life Active Balanced Portfolios which includes Equitable Life Active Balanced Growth Portfolio Select, Equitable Life Active Balanced Portfolio Select and Equitable Life Active Balanced Income Portfolio Select.

Downloadable Copy
Any statements contained herein that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements represent the portfolio manager’s best judgment as of the present date as to what may occur in the future. However, forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and are based on the portfolio manager’s present opinions and views. For this reason, the actual outcome of the events or results predicted may differ materially from what is expressed. Furthermore, the portfolio manager’s views, opinions or assumptions may subsequently change based on previously unknown information, or for other reasons. Equitable Life of Canada® assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained herein. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Investments may increase or decrease in value and are invested at the risk of the investor. Investment values change frequently, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Professional advice should be sought before an investor embarks on any investment strategy.
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