Dear Subscriber,
Happy May.
I've been moving both home and office over the past week, so apologize for being a bit behind in just about everything including responding to e-mails and slack. If I have not yet responded to your message and it's urgent, let me know and I'll prioritize.
It also seems that educational events are off and running again through the summer. I'm off to Calgary for a few days to speak at the Prairie Chamber event, then the Ontario chamber in June and Banff School in August. I hope to see many of you at those events.
As always, if I can help make you more efficient, effective or successful, just reach out and ask.
Dave |
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OUR EVENTS
CGIB COFFEE CHATS
Coffee chats are like a virtual breakfast. Log in, ask questions, share problems, seek solutions and talk about what's on your mind. Best done from a computer, with a camera and a microphone. No CE credits, but also no cost, just show up.
Monday May 2nd @ 2pm (EST) Monday May 16th @ 2pm (EST) Thursday June 16th @ 2pm (EST) Tuesday June 28th @ 2pm (EST) ____________________________________________________________
BREAKFAST MEETINGS CGIB no longer runs the breakfast meetings, but supports the initiative of the volunteers that do.
Please find the details for your closest location below. Ajax, Cambridge, London, Markham, Oakville, St Catherines, Toronto, Vancouver Island, Windsor or the Virtual National Meeting
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Looking for...
If you are interested in hiring a Sr. Group Service Rep / Account Manager, my candidate has 11 years of experience. Working in a brokerage environment, she has handled client service issues & questions, marketing for new business & existing clients, new case installation, provided new & ongoing client orientation, recognized & devoted special care to endangered/pampered cases as required.
My clients would like to hire a Group Retirement Consultant with 8+ yrs. experience in DC plans, providing consulting services & advice on program design, investments, provider search & implementation, member communications, plan oversight, governance and an Account Manager with 3+ yrs. Group Benefits & Retirement experience in managing a book of business, handling renewals & presentations, plan design analysis and client transition process for new & existing clients.
____________________________________________________________ Upcoming CGIB Events:
Hold the date for these upcoming events, and watch for details HERE.
Toronto Seminar - Wednesday October 5th - FULL-DAY Agenda to be determined
Calgary Seminar - Tuesday October 18th Plan Administration Checklist & Employment Law Workshop - TBC
Vancouver Seminar - Thursday October 20th Plan Administration Checklist & Employment Law Workshop - TBC |
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GET ON SLACK
The CGIB SLACK channel is a great place to pose questions, share info and learn a ton from your fellow members. The info and discussions that are posted there are unlike anywhere in the industry. Sadly, about 15% of CGIB members are still missing out on all the info being shared. Others have not taken a look at all the documents, videos and information available in MEMBERS ONLY to make their life easier.
NOTE TO ALL SLACK USERS: We now have 40+ channels in Slack to handle different topics. Please take a moment to add these channels to your menu. To do so, just click on the + next to Channels on the top left. Browse the channels and then click JOIN to add each of them. By doing so you won’t be missing some really great info. |
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SUGGESTED READING
We think the information contained below is of great value and encourage you to read the articles and check out the events that interest you. In most cases, these articles and events are not run by CGIB, so please contact the organizers for more information. We take no responsibility for the websites, events, organizations or their content. |
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Suggested Reading:
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PATENTED MEDICINES REGULATION AMENDMENTS DROPPED The Canadian government will no longer seek to implement certain controversial amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations, says McCarthy Tétrault. A statement from the minister of health says Health Canada will not move forward with implementing amendments related to economic drug price regulatory factors, nor with the requirement to report net prices. Canada’s decision to abandon these amendments follows the Quebec Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Merck Canada inc. c. Procureur general du Canada, 2022 QCCA 240, in which the court found that amendments that would add new economic factors to consider when assessing whether a drug price is excessive (namely pharmacoeconomic value, market size in Canada, and GDP and GDP per capita in Canada), and a requirement to file information net of all price adjustments were unconstitutional. Health Canada will be moving forward with the implementation of the new basket of comparator countries (Australia, United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden) and reduced reporting requirements for those medicines at lowest risk of excessive pricing (for example, vaccines and biosimilars). These changes will take effect July 1, 2022. This is another important win for the pharmaceutical industry in Canada. Canadian appeal courts have sent strong signals that general price control and consumer protection is not within the PMPRB’s jurisdiction and are not part of balance struck in the Patent Act between incentivizing research and development of patented medicines in Canada and protecting against patent abuse.
CANADIANS SATISFIED WITH HEALTHCARE ACCESS Two-out-of-three Canadians feel satisfied about their overall access to healthcare, says a report from Accenture which identifies opportunities to improve care delivery. ‘All In for Transforming Canadian Healthcare’ says one-in-four Canadians still find it difficult to navigate the healthcare system including finding the right medical facility and treatment who to contact for a specific concern, and the treatment options available to them. When it comes to access to healthcare providers (e.g., a family doctor, emergency department, or specialists), the survey found Canadians are generally satisfied, but satisfaction levels decrease for people living in remote areas and people with a chronic condition. Canadians that are unsatisfied are most concerned with access to mental health support, diet and nutrition programs, and navigation to timely information on publicly funded health services and insurance coverage. The report also notes that the need for greater safety precautions during the pandemic led to new ways of delivering care, as well as opportunities for public and private players to play a direct role in the provision and improvement of care, such as through virtual appointments and additional digitally enabled services. The research found 80 per cent of Canadians identified online booking and scheduling, health services in local pharmacies, and telehealth services as the top services that they want to see remain after the pandemic.
CANADIANS CHALLENGED DISCONNECTING AFTER WORK The LifeWorks ‘Mental Health Index’ shows 28 per cent of Canadians are experiencing challenges disconnecting after regular work hours, with this group displaying a mental health score nearly nine points below the national average. Additionally, more than two-in-five Canadians report ending their workday feeling mentally and/or physically exhausted. Marking two years since the launch of the index, this month’s report found that Canadian workers are still under strain with a mental health score lower than the pre-pandemic benchmark of 0.0 for the 24th consecutive month. The score for March is -10.5, a slight improvement from February’s score of -10.6. It says 27 per cent of Canadians find it increasingly difficult to concentrate on their work. This group has a mental health score of -29.1, nearly 19 points below the national average. As well, 35 per cent of Canadians find it increasingly difficult to be motivated to do their work. This group has a mental health score of -25.4, nearly 15 points below the national average. Of the 28 per cent of Canadians who are unable to disconnect after regular work hours, one-quarter (25 per cent) report that this is due to their manager continuing to contact them.
DENTAL CARE PROPOSAL COULD IMPACT BENEFITS PLANS Dental care programs outlined in the federal budget may decrease the demand for private plans that are offered by employers through life insurance companies, says a DBRS Morningstar ‘Commentary.’ ‘Canada’s Federal Budget Affects Life Insurers through New Health Benefits, Higher Taxes, and Additional Disclosures’ says the Canadian government will introduce a dental care benefits program for families with an annual income of less than $90,000. The coverage will initially apply only to children under 12 years old starting in 2022, but will be expanded to other groups in 2023 and will be fully implemented by 2025. The 2022 program will be available without copay arrangements to families with an annual income of less than $70,000 and with a copay to families with an annual income between $70,000 and $90,000. While the program aims primarily to offer dental coverage to about 12 million uninsured Canadians, it may also decrease demand for existing coverage through private plans. Currently, many employers offer dental benefit coverage to their employees and their families through plans managed by life insurance companies. The availability of the federal dental care program may prompt some employers to reduce or withdraw the coverage for employees that qualify to receive the dental benefits under the federal plan. It may also lead to increased demand, and hence pricing, for dental services compared with current levels. However, potential increases in benefit costs are typically passed on to the employers in the form of costlier group policy plans unless competitive pressures prompt life insurers to absorb this cost.
ALZHEIMER’S DRUGS COMING The ‘TELUS Health 2022 Drug Pipeline’ report focuses on Alzheimer’s disease, a therapeutic area not often considered a cost driver in employer plans. However, the market is rapidly expanding with a number of high cost options. Manufacturers are also introducing new products to manage the loss of market exclusivity of past products. The expected entry of high cost specialty drugs in the Alzheimer’s market targeted to younger people of working age represents a new cost for private payers. Product life cycle management products such as Vumerity and Susviom are not new. While they may not mean new net costs to private payers, they do carry the threat of lost savings associated with generic and biosimilar entries in those spaces. They may offer benefits to some patients and strategies like prior authorization can be used to help control associated costs. |
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What’s better, a phone call or a zoom call? Which creates more intimacy, a meeting in person or a hand-written letter? The only answer is: it depends. It’s tempting to believe that being in a store, surrounded by sights, smells, packaging, crowds and helpful salespeople delivers more interaction and sales than a catalog. But a company like Zingerman’s manages to make a can of sardines sound far more exciting than it would at the deli. When we communicate, the real issue isn’t how many bits of information are available. Instead, I think there are three forces at work: Are we using all the information we can? (The baker can choose how the store smells and how the display looks). Are we showing up with permission, in the right moment? Is there a path to emotional connection and trust? Whether it’s connecting with an old friend or hearing from a politician, there’s no universal hi-rez option. It’s more complicated than that.
My Take on Seths Post
Put another way...
Use the best method of communication you can, to get the job done. Don't "hide" behind e-mail. Don't leave a voicemail when a conversation is better. You don't have to be sitting in front of the client every time(as COVID taught us), but we do have to be available and engaged...at least if we want to keep them as a client. |
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EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
ONLINE CE CREDITS
Looking for benefits dedicated online CE courses? Want to provide your admin and support staff with basic knowledge? Want to dig into something more detailed for your benefits/insurance business? Business Career College (BCC) has an extensive catalogue of online CE courses with a number of group benefits specific courses covering topics ranging from contractual concerns, plan designs, and underwriting requirements, to product specifics and integration with government benefits. Courses consist of narrated videos with short, online quizzes. The full catalogue includes over 60 courses, podcasts, and videos covering topics from the world of insurance, investments, financial planning, taxation, and ethics with a focus on technical content and real-world application. Courses are accredited for the maximum categories of credits and can include provincial Life and A&S credits, FP Canada, Advocis, and more! Use code CGIB on registration for your first three months free! |
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Canadian Benefits Certificate Program - Online Course
offered by CPBI Ontario in partnership with the Human Resources Professionals Association
Starts: May 4, 2022 at 9:30 AM - Ends: May 13, 2022 4:00 PM
The Key to Attract and Retain Key Talent
Gain a clear understanding of Canadian Group Benefits. Benefits form an important part of an employee’s compensation program and play a valuable role in attracting and retaining key talent. Now you can get a comprehensive overview of benefit programs in Canada with this course.
What will I learn? After completing the certificate program, participants will have the skills and information required to:Understand the basics and develop better strategies Manage your programs more effectively Keep escalating costs under control
Price HRPA and/or CPBI Members: $1650 + Taxes Non-Members: $2060 + TaxesJoin CPBI-ICRA to save $410 now and much more! (regular membership $325 + taxes) ___________________________________________________________ For the past 18 years, the TELUS Health Annual Conference has been an industry-leading source of insight and trends across the private payer ecosystem.
Get the most up-to-date drug and benefits data trends for 2022, the latest developments in the industry and what it means for you. Review and implement plans that suit your customers’ ever-changing realities. Why attend? You’ll get... • Comprehensive data trends and national benchmarks • Informative and topical presentations on industry trends • Continuing education credits • Virtual networking opportunitie Save the date! (Registration will open in the spring, and an actual invite will follow.)
Join us on May 10 & 17, 2022* ___________________________________________________________
PHARMACOGENETICS BARRIERS OUTLINED ___________________________________________________________ PAYROLL ASSOCIATION ROARS BACK The Canadian Payroll Association national conference will be offered in-person and virtually. ‘Roaring Back’ will feature speakers such as Andrew Au, the co-founder of Intercept, who will provide a real-time glimpse into how leading global organizations are redefining their future of work strategies and Anna Olson who will share her culinary journey. It takes place June 8 to 10 in Niagara Falls, ON. Information is at https://conference.payroll.ca/ ___________________________________________________________ Wednesday June 29th at noon EST - Meeting details to follow.
Session: An Introduction To Managing Global Benefits This session is aimed at providing a starting block for advisors to start the conversation with HR professionals around managing global benefits. The session will cover the factors a company should consider when starting building out global benefits with a focus on the following themes; - Staying compliant
- Controlling Costs
- Managing colleagues expectations and curbing internal enthusiasm
- Implementing an appropriate strategy which will account for your business’ culture
- Creating a culturally aligned employee benefits program for a growing multinational workforce
Lewis Mosley - DIRECTOR Benefits Advisory Services Ltd Lewis is a Director and lead Global Consultant at Benefits Advisory Services Ltd. He has over 10 years’ experience working within the global employee benefits space, most of which have been spent advising North American multinationals on all aspects of their global benefits, from their first overseas hire’s benefit program in a new country to managing 30+ countries with merger & acquisition heritage. ___________________________________________________________
ClaimSecure is pleased to announce our 2022 eLearning series. Below is the schedule with the dates and times for the webinars.
We will be sending the registration links two weeks prior to each webinar.
The first webinar in our eLearning series will take place on March 16th, 2022 and the registration link will be provided to you on March 2nd, 2022.
We hope you will enjoy our 2022 eLearning series and we will look forward to your feedback. |
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Need help? Have questions? Looking for something?
Reach out to CGIB - Dave Patriarche - dave@cgib.ca - 905-886-9203 |
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