Dear Subscriber,
At this festive time of year I would like to say thank you. For the part you play in CGIB, the help you give your fellow members and your contributions to making both our businesses and the industry better overall.
Each year I make a donation on behalf of our members, in lieu of gifts and cards. Once again our donation is being made to Hands Across the Nations, a charity run entirely by volunteers.
• They work with small rural communities in South America and Africa to provide development assistance. Their motto...We aren’t saviours, we’re partners.
• Their method is simple. They work with locals to build self reliant communities through project-based initiatives. They partner with community leaders and help communities form committees to ensure the projects are sustainable. They focus on creating lasting change to permanently enhance the overall quality of life and standard of living. I was lucky enough to join the group to do some work in The Gambia in November, where I saw the good your contributions do first hand. Thank you for all of you that donated. Your donations were matched and were sent in this week and I just got a call from the executive director thanking me for all the donations. Thank YOU!
A few things of note in this newsletter. - Plan Admin Checklist workshop on Apr. 19th now OPEN to REGISTER
- We've added a few coffee chat dates to add to your calendar
- There is lots of reading to continue your education.
If you're interested in the preliminary CGIB seminar survey results, check them out HERE. Thanks for your contributions. It looks like we have the format dialled in for a strong majority of responding members, we just need to get a good speaker lineup for the fall.
We thank you for your continued support. We hope you and your family have a great holiday season and a safe and happy new year.
Keep doing great things. Dave |
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OUR EVENTS
This is a regular event sharing and discussing all things group benefits. A huge thanks to Jason Watt (he/him) CD CLU for making this possible.
Watch our newsletter and website for upcoming episodes and details. ____________________________________________________________ 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 December 22nd @2pm (EST) (festive seasonal get together?) Thursday January 5th @2pm (EST) Tuesday January 31st @2pm (EST) Tuesday February 14th @2pm (EST) - The Valentines Day edition Thursday March 2nd @2pm (EST)
____________________________________________________________ BREAKFAST MEETINGS CGIB supports the volunteers that runs the breakfast meetings below.
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
____________________________________________________________ Upcoming CGIB Events:
We've had some of the newer and a few longer term members ask for a repeat of the "Building and Using a Plan Administration CheckList" workshop. Some are looking to up their game, as a refresher, or for their support staff and others in their firms.
- This seminar is a must for those who specialize in employee benefits or that want to. Hundreds of brokers have attended this seminar with many making it an integral part of their business practice.
- We will help you create a checklist to utilize when you install new cases, train new plan administrators and conduct client renewals.
- Information reviewed will include: taxation, privacy, administration, HR issues and other items that will help reduce both broker and client liability.
- The content will assist you in adding more value to your client relationships and to move the discussion away from price to one of added value.
I guarantee that you will learn things to help attract new clients, maintain existing relationships and improve your practice.
REGISTRATION OPEN AND ALREADY 25% SOLD OUT |
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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 with documents, videos and information available in MEMBERS ONLY to make your life easier.
NOTE TO ALL SLACK USERS: We now have 70+ 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 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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December 6, 2022 Continued Growth In Healthcare Spending Expected Continued growth in healthcare spending is expected as care that was deferred during the pandemic returns, says an Eckler ‘GroupNews.’ It cites the report on ‘National Health Expenditure Trends, 2022’ from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) which shows health spending in Canada is expected to reach $331 billion for 2022 – growth of just 0.8 per cent following much higher growth in spending during the pandemic of 13 per cent in 2020 and seven per cent in 2021. Prior to the pandemic, growth in healthcare spending averaged four per cent per year. Total average spending on healthcare in 2022 is expected to be $8,563 per person. In 2020 (the latest year for which comparable data is available), Canada ranks fourth among the 38 OECD countries in terms of per person spending on healthcare. Of the total health expenditures for 2020, the government pays for approximately 75 per cent while the private sector accounts for the remaining 25 per cent. In addition, demographic factors such as population aging and growth will continue to contribute to spending growth.
December 6, 2022 PMPRB Guidelines Would Decrease Access To Drugs Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) is calling for a suspension of the planned implementation of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board's (PMPRB) revised draft guidelines public consultation. It says the guidelines, as currently written, will only further decrease access to new medicines, treatments, and clinical trials for Canadians, as well as undermine the success of other government priorities like the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases and the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. Suspending the current proposed guidelines would allow the charting of a better path forward – one that puts patients at the centre of the healthcare systems and that encourages future investments in Canada.
December 8, 2022 Partnership Connects To Digital Health Alberta Blue Cross and Alberta Innovates are partnering to connect people with innovative digital health solutions to support the prevention and management of chronic disease and mental health, two of the largest contributors to the rising cost of benefit plans. There are nearly 500,000 health-related digital tools to supplement individual health and wellness, but customers do not know they exist. With so many health and well-being solutions on the market, many people face the overwhelming task of deciding what will meet their personalized needs and help improve their wellness. This partnership enables select organizations offering Alberta Blue Cross employer-sponsored benefit plans to find, deploy, and implement digital health solutions for their employees. The pilot will narrow down which digital health vendors provide the most value and meet Alberta Blue Cross’s customers’ growing need to navigate an evolving and complex health environment. Successful digital health solutions will be piloted for 18 to 24 months. During this time, Alberta Blue Cross will identify the biggest health concerns for its customers and Alberta Innovates will utilize these findings to engage digital health innovators and technology vendors. This partnership will initially focus on piloting solutions for mental health and chronic disease management.
December 9, 2022 Many Nations Make Medications Available Many Nations, an Indigenous owned co-operative, is making medication more accessible and affordable to its members across Canada through a partnership with Pillway, a tech-first, full-service digital pharmacy. With Indigenous peoples in Canada experiencing multiple barriers to access timely, adequate, and culturally appropriate healthcare, bringing healthcare directly to these communities and meeting members’ needs means healthcare will become more accessible to Indigenous populations. Pillway’s services include automatic refills, customized pre-sorted packaging, and a caregiver feature that allows plan members to manage and fill prescriptions for everyone in their family from one account. |
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In a competition between someone who knows the most and someone who is willing to learn the most, the edge usually goes to the curious and empathic professional, not the one who is simply protecting what’s already known.
My Take on Seths Post
Put another way... Insatiable curiosity is what sets the pros apart from those that are merely successful. Those that think they know it all are a dime a dozen and many will do well, but those that admit they don't know it all and are willing to; be open, listen and learn will generally come out ahead. When you listen, are vulnerable, and open yourself to learning, you'll have better, longer lasting and deeper relationships. |
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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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ANCA Associated Vasculitis: An Autoimmune Disease that Affects Small Blood Vessels Mapol Inc. invites you to attend a complimentary webinar sponsored by Otsuka Canada.
The webinar will be held on: Tuesday, January 17, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.
The Speakers are:
Dr. Christian Pagnoux, MD MSc MPH Associate Professor, Vasculitis Clinic, Division of Rheumatology, Mount Sinai Hospital
Jon Stewart President Director of Vasculitis Foundation CanadaLearning Objectives: - What is ANCA Associated Vasculitis?
- Learn how this condition is treated, new treatment options and how plan members may be impacted in the workplace.
- Gain insights from a patient's perspective.
Please follow the below steps to register: - Click the registration link.
- Fill in the required information on the registration page, then click "Register."
- Closer to the webinar date, you will receive a registration confirmation email with the webinar login details.
An application for 1 CE credit will be submitted to the Institute for Advanced Financial Education. Individual CE applications are not submitted to any other regulatory body (i.e. AIC, ICM, CSF, IIROC, etc.).Please note, this complimentary webinar is limited to invited guests including insurers, PBMs, TPAs, benefits consultants, and employers. Tuesday, January 17, 2023 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST ________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Chronic Disease at Work virtual event registration page Event Date: Thursday, February 2, 2023 Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM ET
Click Here to view the latest agenda. Please fill out your information below to register for this event. Important: Your email will act as a username when accessing the virtual event platform; make sure to check for typos before submitting your registration. We will send you the event platform access link and password on Wednesday, February 1 via email. Further, please be aware that your registration is non-transferable.
CE Credits: This conference will offer Institute-accredited continuing education (CE) credits. An application for CE credits will be submitted to the Institute for Advanced Financial Education. Individual CE applications are not submitted to any other regulatory body (i.e. AIC, ICM, etc.). You must attend the entire conference in order to be eligible. Please be aware that after the event is over, we will provide registrants with a separate registration link to access CE credits. At that time, a $40 plus tax charge will apply. Please contact Lolita McArthur for more information regarding CE credits. |
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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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