Some people know exactly what coverage they have on their employee benefits plan – but others…. not so much! The importance of the travel medical insurance Some people don’t realize they have out-of-province and out-of-country travel insurance as part of their employee benefits plan.  Often this coverage is unlimited, and usually protects you for 60 days.  An often overlooked benefit of the out-of-country travel is their Medical Assistance Program.  If a plan member (or insured family member) has a medical emergency while out of the country, there is a toll-free number available.  This number should…

A lot is being said about mental health.  Everywhere you look there is dialogue about work-life balance, the costs of depression and mental illness to society, and Employers are beginning to take note and take action. “A large proportion of working Canadians have unmet mental health care needs that prevent them from performing to their utmost and our report shows this has serious consequences for the Canadian economy,” said Louis Thériault, vice-president of public policy for the Conference Board, which released a new study in 2016 on this subject. Your Benefits plan may offer Mental…

What happens if one of my employees needs an Unusually EXPENSIVE drug? If you read or watch the news you may well be aware that some drugs cost far more than others. We too frequently hear a lot about high-cost drugs in the media and our clients are asking a lot of questions about providing coverage for these drugs and paying for these expensive claims. How Much Can Drugs Cost? Here are just a few examples of some of the high-cost drugs on the market today: Humira - $60,000 per year for the successful management…

You are travelling in Phoenix – or Amsterdam – or Russia – or just crossed into the US for an afternoon in the Outlet Malls.  Suddenly you are in the hospital, faced with big bills because of an out of country emergency travel assistance.  Which of these persons would you rather be…. Happy – you called your Travel Assistance Provider and they helped you make your claim Unhappy – you did not call your provider, and now you are fighting with your Provincial Medical Plan, your Group Insurer, and the clinic in the USA which…

Administrative Services Only (ASO) is an effective option for a larger employer to control costs of Dental, and on occasion Extended Health benefits.  An insurance component  is provided to protect an Employer against very high claims by including Stop Loss insurance.  Beyond that, the Employer arranges to cover the cost of claims  – whatever that cost may be.  There is no “loss ratio” to drive a renewal.  An Administrator, either the Insurer or another third-party,  must be engaged  to settle and pay the claims.     It is the Administrator who receives the claims, checks their validity,…