August 2022 CGIB News

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Dear Subscriber,

Thanks to the many of you that have renewed your CGIB membership. Simply put, without you CGIB would not exist, and we all appreciate what you bring to the group. Don't worry, the renewal deadline is September 1st and many of you are set up for auto renewal, which should happen automatically. If not, there is still 2weeks to get it done.

Please note that I will be launching the event bookings (Toronto, Calgary & Vancouver) on September 2nd, so make sure you renew by then if you plan on booking a spot (or face non-member rates). You'll also have to be quick with booking hotel rooms (if staying over) as both Calgary and Vancouver hotels are over 70% booked already. Details to book and get reduced rates are on the event website.  https://cgib.ca/events

We've had some members encountering renewal problems and we are hoping to avoid these. When you join as a member you are prompted to complete a GlueUp profile. This is where you can add contact info and your photo etc. It appears some have not done so (not sure how or why) or may have skipped a step and it's caused renewal links to not work properly. Details are below:

How to use Glue Up mobile app?
  • Download the My Glue App on App Store or Google Play.
  • If you are a new user, please register to My Glue. Otherwise, please log in to your existing account.
  • Start exploring Glue Up app!

Why Register an account on Glue Up?
  • Find all activities on a single platform.
  • Access your registrations to events
  • Get access to your member benefits 24/7 and manage your membership information independently

More info on MYGLUE: MY GLUE APP

If you still have problems, please do not hesitate to give me a call or drop an e-mail and we'll ensure you get the membership renewed and keep you active.

Dave
 
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OUR EVENTS

..and now for something a little bit (not completely) different!

Canadian Group insurance Brokers is pleased to work with Business Career College to produce a quarterly podcast of all things benefit related.  Jason Watt and Dave Patriarche will interview benefit advisors and those that work in the space including; insurers, TPA's, PBM's, pharmaceutical companies and anyone who plays an important role in group insurance plans.

Watch our newsletters and website for details. 
Our first is due to be released August 17th at 11 am EST...watch for it.
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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.

Thursday September 1st @ 2pm (EST)
Tuesday September 20th  @ 2pm (EST)
Thursday October 13th @ 2pm (EST)

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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, Edmonton, London, Markham, Oakville, St Catherines, Toronto, Vancouver Island, Windsor or the Virtual National Meeting

Virtual meetings through Zoom may be utilized until COVID19 passes. Please contact the event champions to be added to their lists, and receive more info.

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Upcoming CGIB Events:

Hold the date for these upcoming events, and watch for details HERE.

Toronto Seminar - Wednesday October 5th
Paramount Event Venue - Vaughan

Know Your (Group) Client - Robert Crowder
Selling on Value, not just Price - Dave Patriarche
Changes in the Dental space in Ontario - ODA Speaker TBA
Disability Cases one Wrong - David Share

Calgary Seminar - Tuesday October 18th
Best Western Calgary Plaza Hotel

Selling on Value, not just Price - Dave Patriarche
Employment Law update - Shane King
Concerning trends in benefits - Dave Patriarche
Ethics in Group Benefits - Jason Watt

Vancouver Seminar - Thursday October 20th
Sandman Signature Vancouver Airport

Selling on Value, not just Price - Dave Patriarche
Employment Law update - Cameron Wardell
Concerning trends in benefits - Dave Patriarche
Speaker and Topic - TBC
 
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.
 
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.
Suggested Reading:













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BUSINESS LEADERS GET WAKE-UP CALL FROM PANDEMIC
The COVID-19 pandemic should serve as a wake-up call to Canadian business leaders that employee mental well-being is now a top priority for those looking for jobs, says a study by the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Canada (CPHR Canada). More than four out of five respondents (85 per cent) think employers should be focused on implementing mental health programs in the workplace as future employees will likely seek out businesses who have put mental health at the forefront of their HR plans. The importance of having a proper HR strategy in place managed by trained human resources professionals was also a clear message from the poll. Out of those who responded, the majority said they would rather speak with a human resources professional if they had a crisis or challenge in the workplace than go to the owner or a senior manager or a colleague.

GENE THERAPY OFFERS ONE-TIME TREATMENT
Gene therapy is a paradigm shift, offering a one-time therapeutic treatment with lasting therapeutic benefit, says Suzanne Lepage, a private health plan strategist. She told the ‘Understanding Gene Therapy and Its Impact on Private Drug Plans’ session at the ‘41st Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium’ that mutation in body cells can cause diseases which have significant impact on health. These can be inherited from parents, occur spontaneously, or as a result of environmental factors. About 4,000 diseases are linked to gene disorders and they are responsible for 80 per cent of rare diseases. Gene therapy is different from cell therapy where cells are manipulated. With gene therapy, genes are replaced, introduced, or changed, but unlike traditional drugs which can require frequent administration and focus on managing disease, gene therapy targets one disease and may even cure it with just one dose. This makes the return on investment obvious, she said. It can replace a lifetime of other expensive treatments and products, mitigating future high-cost medical services. However, because of the high cost, there is an “ethical dilemma,” she said. There is no consensus in the Canadian private payer market on how to assess the value or cost effectiveness which may depend on the perspective of the evaluator. However, for plan sponsors, providing coverage for this therapy can be used as an attraction and retention tool as it provides “peace of mind” against unexpected health conditions.

CANADIANS PAY FOR PUBLIC HEALTHCARE
A Canadian family of two adults and two children with a household income of an average $156,086 will pay an estimated $15,847 for public healthcare in 2022, says a Fraser Institute study. However, with most of the funding for public healthcare coming from general taxation, most Canadians are unaware of the cost outside of those that are employer-collected or provincial contributions. Even couples without dependent children will pay an estimated $15,229, while single Canadians will pay $4,907 and single parents with one child will pay $5,812. “Canadians pay a substantial amount of money for healthcare through a variety of taxes ‒ even if we don’t pay directly for medical services,” says Bacchus Barua, director of health policy studies at the Fraser Institute and co-author of ‘The Price of Public Health Care Insurance, 2022.’ The study reveals since 1997 while household income has grown by 116 per cent, the cost of public healthcare has risen 210 per cent. “Understanding how much Canadians actually pay for healthcare and how much that amount has increased over time, is an important first step for taxpayers to assess the value and performance of the healthcare system and whether it’s financially sustainable,” says Barua.

SURVEY CAN HELP PLAN DESIGN
If now is the time to revisit benefits strategy, a survey can help when designing a program that is meaningful by getting input from employees, says Valerie Travis, founder of Bespoke Benefit Solutions. However, she told the 41st Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium session ‘How Meaningful Employee Benefits Surveys and Focus Groups Drive Engagement’ care needs to be taken to ensure these surveys, focus groups, or pulse polls don’t go bad. Many do because false expectations or concerns are created by asking about things that aren’t on the table. Another trap to avoid is only asking about what they don’t like or including loaded questions, leading questions, double barreled questions, unfamiliar/unclear questions, or questions too difficult to complete. Instead, questions need to be carefully constructed to avoid collecting unactionable, inconclusive, or ambiguous data. Survey, focus groups, and pulse polls are all useful. Surveys reach more participants, touch on more topics, are more quantitative, and provide more anonymity, she said. While focus group have fewer participants, they allow topics to be explored more deeply. Pulse polls are quantitative seeking answers to a few easy to answer questions. They are also easily replicated to measure trends, changes, and progress over time. The benefits of these start with increasing the value of a program without increasing budget by measuring perceptions, awareness and understanding. As well, they increase engagement by showing employees the company cares, values their perspectives, is open to change, and wants to hear all voices.
 
SETH GODIN'S BLOG -  What to count 

So many choices. So many sorts of metrics, critics and measures.

Perhaps it makes sense to count things where the counting tells us how to do better next time.

And to count things that let us know how much risk we can take next time.

Or to calibrate our judgment about the market.

But it makes no sense at all to count things over which we have no control, and which teach us nothing about the future.

Counting our luck (good or bad) doesn’t make us luckier.

My Take on Seths Post

Put another way...Track what makes sense, forget that which has no purpose. As an example, I've had a few advisors ask about how I track average rate increases. Do I track each benefit? break down by industry? or size? Do I weight it? average it? Mean or median it?

The answer is...I jsut use the bottom line rate adjustment for current clients and do not weight or segment. Why not? It's not useful to me. My clients tend to focus on the bottom line. Does it matter if health claims are high and dental low, or vice versa? No, the fa t that the renewal increase or decrease is what does, so THAT is all I track.


There are 1,000 other high schools, and each one has a vice principal who isn’t you.

No, you’re not irreplaceable.

No one is, not really.

But if we work at it, we might become indispensable. The linchpin, someone who would be missed if they were gone.

My Take on Seths Post

Put another way... Isn't becoming indispensable what REALLY Matters?
If you want to learn more about this...Read Chapter 6 in Selling Benefits called "Educate clients, and then educate them some more."
 
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!  
 
Three New Zoomcasts in August!
The Builders Benefits Plan is the most unique plan to be introduced to the Canadian building industry - an industry that struggles to source adequate and cost-effective benefits for themselves and their employees. 

Best of all, Advisors have found it extremely easy to explain to business owners and to sell – usually with only one call or visit!

Attend an upcoming Zoomcast to see how easy this plan is to explain and sell:

During these Zoomcast sessions, we will discuss:
The philosophy and details behind the plan
When and where to use/offer the plan
How to get to “yes” with one short visit or call
Common advisor questions about the plan
Q & A

Zoomcast Guidelines
To ensure a lively discussion, we have a few guidelines that we’d like you to adhere to:
Only the first 100 registrants will get a spot for each Zoomcast.
Please have your CAMERA ON and be ready to interact with others.
Be prepared to engage in conversation. We want our Zoomcast series to be productive, insightful, and conversational, so please be ready to talk, ask questions, and converse.

There are limited spaces available, make sure to register now. We hope to see you there!
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BENEFIT PLAN CERTIFICATE OFFERED
The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans’ ‘Certificate in Canadian Benefit Plans’ provides an introduction to Canadian employee benefits, pensions, and human resource practices for those who work directly with a Canadian plan or are employed by a U.S. company with affiliates in Canada. Sessions will look at the Canadian healthcare system, Canadian drug benefit practices, and the Canadian retirement system. It takes place August 22 to 24 in Seattle, WA. Information is at https://www.ifebp.org/education/certificateprograms/canadianbenefitplans/Pages/certificate-in-canadian-benefit-plans-2285.aspx
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DIGITAL HEALTHCARE EXAMINED
‘Where Life Insurance & Digital Healthcare Meet’ and ‘Combat Turbulent Inflation’ will be among the topics discussed at ‘The Future of Insurance Canada 2022.’ Speakers include Valérie Lavoie, president and chief operating officer at Desjardins General Insurance Group; Megan Douglas, senior vice-president and chief brand and commercial officer for Saskatchewan Blue Cross; and Zahid Salman, CEO of Green Shield Canada. The Reuters event takes place September 13 and 14 in Toronto, ON. Information is at https://events.reutersevents.com/insurance/future-insurance-canada
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Group Benefits in a Post-Pandemic World

Register now!Our Group Benefits Advisor Roadshow returns to a city near you this fall. Take advantage of this opportunity to:
  • Learn about the forces shaping our industry;
  • Network with your peers; and
  • Earn CE credits.
Agenda

A New Era of Drug Inflation? More Risks . . . More Opportunities
A “perfect storm” of drug trends is unfolding, and every major overall drug trend variable is accelerating. This session will focus on practical and actionable insights, illustrate several “low hanging fruit” opportunities, and support our advisor partners in assisting plan sponsors to navigate drug risk volatility.  
Speaker: Martin Chung, Assistant Vice President, Strategic Health Management, Equitable Life

What is Normal? Disability Management in a Post-Pandemic World*
The last two years have brought profound changes in the workplace. Those changes have had a significant impact on the nature of disability and how it is managed. This presentation will look at the new age of disability management. What's the same? What's different? And how can advisors help their clients navigate this new "normal"?
Speaker: Maureen Long, Group Claims, Disability and Administration Vice-President, Equitable Life
 
Tools for Building an Effective Employee Mental Health Program
The pandemic had a profound impact on Canadians’ mental health, and employers are looking for ways to support their employees. This presentation will look at some of the tools and resources employers can include in their workplace mental health program. The presentation will focus on Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) – what it is, how it works, the clinical evidence behind it, and how it can help employees struggling with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
Speaker: Homewood Health

* The Vancouver Roadshow at the Delta Burnaby will feature a different presentation and speaker, as this topic was presented during our June Forum. See registration page for session details.
Register

Click on a city below to register.
Burnaby  Monday, Sept. 26
Delta Hotels Burnaby Conference Centre
 
Edmonton  Tuesday, Sept. 27
Delta Hotels Edmonton Centre Suites
 
Calgary  Wednesday, Sept. 28
Delta Hotels Calgary Downtown
 
Winnipeg  Thursday, Sept. 29
Delta Hotels Winnipeg
 
Saskatoon  Friday, Sept. 30
Delta Hotels Bessborough

Ottawa  Tuesday, Oct. 4
Infinity Convention Centre
 
London  Wednesday, Oct. 5
Delta Hotels London Armouries
 
Kitchener  Thursday, Oct. 6
DoubleTree By Hilton Kitchener
 
Markham  Wednesday, Oct. 12
The Thornhill Golf Club
 
Oakville  Thursday, Oct. 13
Oakville Conference Centre

The sessions start at 8:30 am and run until 11:30 am. Breakfast is served beginning at 7:45 am.
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ClaimSecure New ASO SME Product ( SecurePak) Education session 

Join us on September 28, 2022 @ 2 PM EST for a brand new webinar entitled ClaimSecure and Canada Life New ASO Product "SecurePak" for Groups 25-200 Certs

https://claimsecure.webex.com/claimsecure/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4dbff3244687a6adb88d244f7e7aee9b 
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The 2022 Healthy Outcomes Conference is an in-person event in Toronto on Oct. 17-18 intended for employers to exchange ideas, best practices and tools for achieving improved employee health outcomes and enhanced organizational performance.

The event will include several panels featuring leading employers and industry thought leaders discussing the trends and topics that matter most today. The winners of the 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards will also be announced throughout the day. We hope you will join us. 

KEYNOTE SESSION: 

Linda Duxbury - TORN BETWEEN WANT AND REALITY: HYBRID WORK AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE 

More than two years after many employees started working from their homes, both employers and employees are talking about how they want to work post-pandemic. However, few are factoring work-life boundary preferences into the discussion. Research in this area has shown employees use two different approaches — segmentation and integration — when attempting to balance work and family. This session will use data from the 2020-23 Employee Wellbeing in Times of COVID-19 study to review the relationship between boundary management preferences, work-life balance and employee well-being, outlining the implications for employers and employees as they seek a balance between what they want and what’s actually best for them. 

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Save the date for this 10th Anniversary Edition of the World-famous Canada Sales Congress

This years’ CSC will be an in-person event on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at the Toronto Congress Centre.For this special 10th anniversary edition of the CSC, we will feature some of the top speakers from previous Canada Sales Congress events, along with inspiring first-time speakers!

This “best of the past and best of the future” approach will be showcased under the theme All-Stars and Rising Stars.Get the ideas that made these top advisors stars so you can be one too.

Discover how to “Aim for the moon so if you miss you still end up among the stars”!

Mark October 26 in your calendar:
Apple   Google   Office 365   Outlook   Outlook.com   Yahoo
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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.

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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