Site Search
794 results for go to portal MAKEMUR.com Need to pay someone to get my passport back from customs Providence
-
Get Client Focused: Turning Compliance into Your Advantage
Join Equitable Life and guest speaker, April-Lynn Levitt, CFP, Business Coach, The Personal Coach, to learn how to be compliant in today’s environment and create client-focused review meetings:
• Understand the new requirements and the best practices for implementing the new requirements into your practice.
• Go beyond “ticking the boxes” to build an exceptional client experience.
• Learn to use your review process to stimulate referrals and update compliance documents seamlessly.
We are pleased to provide you with a recorded version of April-Lynn Levitt’s presentation, “Get Client Focused: Turning Compliance into Your Advantage” click here
This webinar is available in English only.
® denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
Posted June 6, 2023
- [pdf] Homewood Health Online
-
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*
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.
- 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:
- Online Plan Member Enrolment Flyer for Plan Administrators
- Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide for Plan Administrators
- Quick Reference Guide for Plan Members
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.
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:- CLHIA’s free 15-minute Protect Your Benefits online course for plan administrators and their members
- CLHIA’s Fraud is Fraud program, including their FAQs on benefits fraud
- Our online guide to benefits abuse
- Tips for plan administrators and plan members to protect their plan
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.
-
Product Enhancements - Critical Illness
Equitable Life has exciting product enhancements that will help you offer more options to clients.
Access our Virtual Product Launch NOW. Grab a coffee and get ready for this exciting news! Hear from our leaders and learn about our exciting product enhancements.
NEW! EquiLiving plans and riders enhanced with:- 20 pay options with coverage to age 75 or coverage for life
- Support from Cloud DX to help monitor a client’s well-being from treatment to recovery.
- Added Acquired Brain Injury as a covered critical condition
- 30-day survival period removed for all non-cardiovascular covered conditions
- No age restriction to claim for Loss of Independent Existence (LOIE)
- EquiLiving Benefit now pays the higher of the EquiLiving Benefit or the Return of Premium Rider Benefit (not including Return of Premium on Death)
- And so much more …
The updated illustration software will be available for download after 9 a.m. ET on Friday, February 11, 2022, and will include all the Equimax and EquiLiving enhancements.
See the Equitable Sales Illustrations Update for information on how to download the software or check for updates.
Please review updates to the commission schedule A for these new enhancements.
Learn more- Transition rules are available
- Watch our virtual launch event video now! (Approx. 20 minutes)
- Watch our product launch intro video here
- Visit our launch event page with product change details and more here
- Marketing Materials
Please contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information. - [pdf] Equinet FAQ
- EquiNet-FAQ
- Login information for current advisors
-
November is Financial Literacy Month
Equitable® wants to mark Financial Literacy this November. Created by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), the campaign this year is “Money on your Mind. Talk about it!”
The FCAC is challenging Canadians to do one thing to boost their financial confidence. One of those things includes asking questions to a trusted financial advisor. That’s, you! Be ready this year to answer anything from retirement savings, home ownership, annuities, estate planning, Daily and Guaranteed Interest Accounts, segregated funds and more.
Need help? Contact your Director, Investment Sales to get started. At Equitable, we believe in the power of together.
Have questions about the upcoming tax season or need tips to help manage and grow your business? If you missed our recent webcast with our Operations and Digital Experience teams, click here to learn more.
® and ™ denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
Posted November 5, 2024 -
Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – February 2022
In this issue:
- Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
- Preferred Biosimilar Program*
- Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy*
- Dental fee guide updates*
- Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*
- Mental health resources for plan members*
Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
In 2022, Alberta’s provincial drug plan is adding four originator biologics to its Biosimilar Initiative. It has ended or will end provincial coverage of these drugs for some or all conditions, as follows:
Four originator biologics added to Alberta Biosimilar Initiative- Lovenox: Jan. 10, 2022
- Humalog: Feb. 1, 2022
- NovoRapid: April 1, 2022
- Humira: May 1, 2022
Patients 18 and over 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.
How we are responding to protect our clients
To help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans while still providing plan members with access to safe and effective medications, we will no longer cover these originator biologic drugs for plan members in Alberta.
Effective May 1, 2022, claimants currently taking these drugs will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.
This is a continuation of the Alberta biosimilar switch program we launched last March, when the province first introduced its Biosimilar Initiative.
Do my clients need to take any action?
No action is required by plan sponsors. Plan members taking these targeted originator biologics will be contacted directly to allow them ample time to transition to a biosimilar. Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.
Groups that opted out of the biologic coverage changes we made last March will automatically be opted out of these coverage changes, as well as any future changes to our Alberta biosimilar switch program. This means that their drug plans will continue to provide coverage to existing claimants for any originator biologics we stop covering as part of our biosimilar program.
Advisors with clients who wish to opt out of our Alberta biosimilar program, or who previously opted out and want to opt back in, should speak to their Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
Communication to plan members
We will be communicating these coverage changes with affected claimants in early March to allow them ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage. Thus far, the transition to biosimilars, has been smooth and continues to be successful.
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 also biologics. 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.Preferred Biosimilar Program*
As part of our ongoing efforts to help ensure the sustainability of your clients’ drug plans, we continue to engage in strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
We are pleased to announce a partnership to make Hyrimoz our preferred biosimilar for Humira. This partnership will generate additional savings for plan sponsors.
Plan members will still have the choice to use Humira biosimilars other than Hyrimoz. However, in the absence of alternative sources of reimbursement, this may increase their out-of-pocket amount.
The Preferred Biosimilar Program will take effect March 1, 2022 for all new claimants across Canada who start using a Humira biosimilar. It will take effect May 1 for existing claimants in Alberta who switch to a Humira biosimilar, to align with changes to the provincial plan.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy
Last year, the Quebec government announced it is phasing out coverage of biologic drugs. Beginning April 13, 2022, patients in Quebec using originator biologics will be required to switch to the corresponding biosimilar covered on the province’s public plan in order to maintain coverage.
The following populations are excepted from this new policy:- Pregnant women, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after childbirth.
- Pediatric patients, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after their 18th birthdays.
- Patients who have experienced two or more therapeutic failures while being treated with a biologic drug for the same chronic disease.
We are actively investigating the impact of this new policy on private drug plans in Quebec. We plan to implement further enhancements to our biosimilar programs in Quebec later this year to help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans. We will provide more details in the coming months.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 2022.*
Dental fee guide increases over 2021*
*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.Province/Territory Average Fee Increase Alberta 3.9% British Columbia 7.35% Manitoba 5.79% New Brunswick 5.9% Newfoundland and Labrador 5% Nova Scotia 7.05% Northwest Territories 3% Nunavut 3.1% Ontario 4.75% Prince Edward Island 4.75% Quebec 5% Saskatchewan 5.99%
Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*
If your client’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) has manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Please review all your plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year.
If your clients have Plan Administrator update access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can update these amounts online by doing the following:- Select “View certificate”
- Select “Health Care Spending Account” or “Taxable Spending Account”
- Select “Update Allocation” in Task Center
- Enter amount in “Revised Allocation Amount”
- Override Reason – “Plan Administrator Request”
- Select “Save”
- Select “Reports”
- Select “New”
- Select “Next”
- Select “HCSA” or “TSA Totals by Plan Member”
- Select “Next”
- Enter end date of “12/31/2020”
- Select “Next”
- Select “Finish”
- View “Report”
Mental health resources for plan members*
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, many Canadians are experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. 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. These resources include a number of webinars which discuss various COVID-19 and mental health-related topics. The webinars are pre-recorded so plan members can stream them at their convenience.
Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Mental Health
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Loneliness & Isolation Fatigue - Self-Care Strategies
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder
English webinar
French webinar
Reducing Anxiety & Managing the Transition Back to the Classroom - for Teachers
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Specialized Mental Health Support for Health Care Professionals
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Supporting Children’s Mental Health
English webinar
French webinar
Additional resources, including articles, tools, videos and podcasts, are available at Homeweb.ca/Equitable. Please encourage your clients to share these resources with their plan members.
-
Generating client policy information is easy with Equitable
Did you know that Equitable® makes it easy to create a report with client policy information using Policy Inquiry? This tool makes a simple PDF that gives advisors and clients all the policy details they need to talk about investment goals.
Key features of the Policy Inquiry tool:• Exclude “Advisor Only Information” sections: Customize the report by leaving out sections meant only for advisors.Generate the report just before meeting with a client to have the most current information. You can find this tool in the top right corner of the client’s policy page on EquiNet®. It is a great takeaway or follow-up item for client meetings.
• Access active links to fund pages with risk ratings: Quickly go to fund pages and check risk ratings from the report.
• View calendar and compound returns: See a clear picture of a client's investment performance history with detailed return information.
Clients can also access their policy information report anytime through Client Access®. Remind clients that they can view the report online as well.
For more information please contact your Director, Investment Sales.
Date posted: June 17, 2025