UBCM Group Benefits Plan Newsletter  

November 2019   

 
Just a reminder that you are able to make changes to your group benefits plan at any time. Please feel free to contact me if you want a review of your plan design. Being part of a bigger pool, the UBCM Group Benefits Plan allows you to offer better customized plans at a lower cost. Email me today!
 


The holiday season is a cheery time, filled with lights, presents, and time with loved ones. Unfortunately, it's also a  stressful and exhausting time  for employees trying to balance work and normal family life with the addition of holiday responsibilities.
 
So, in the spirit of giving, let's lead by example with empathy and compassion and honor the fact that work is just one aspect of an employee's overall life. During the holiday season, let's make an extra effort to honor the whole person and remind every staff member that he/she is safe and secure at work, even when the rest of the world seems chaotic!

Wishing everyone a peaceful, low-stress holiday season.

Quote of the Month



"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible." 
-- Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

If you have any comments or concerns, do not hesitate to email  me.

Cheers,
 
Anna
 
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UBCM Group Benefits Newsletter
November 2019
 
Changes to Coverage...Make sure to let PBC and the Employer know! 

Have your employee or you review how changes in information like family status (single vs. family), hours worked per week and salary affect the employee's benefit plan coverage. Salary changes are especially important as they affect the salary based benefits (Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and/or Long Term Disability). An employee's salary changing means that the premium amount for these benefits will change, as well as the benefit amount the employee would receive at the time of a claim.
 
Also, this is a good time of the year to remind employees to review who they have listed as their beneficiaries.

 
Communicate With Employees On Consumerism

Most employees have no idea how expensive benefit plans are. By educating employees making them aware of the associated costs, they may think twice, which will provide savings for them and the employer. By having the employee play a role in their drug plan, it now becomes partly their responsibility. Some suggestions you can share with employees:
  • Generic Drugs - generic drugs provide the same therapeutic benefits as brand-name drugs - usually at a lower cost.
  • Dispensing Fees - Dispensing fees and drug costs vary from pharmacy to pharmacy.  Dispensing fees can range anywhere from $4 - $18 per prescription filled. Encourage employees to shop around for a lower fee. (To encourage this, employers can set up a deductible for prescription medication that is equal to the dispensing fee.)
  • Recurring Prescriptions - In order to save on dispensing fees, recommend that maintenance medications be dispensed in larger supplies e.g. three-month supplies.
  • Use the - This is a free, interactive online tool that allows employees to compare prices of both brand name and generic prescription medications at different pharmacy locations across BC. With Pharmacy Compass, depending on the type of prescription medications needed, employees could significantly lower their out-of-pocket drug expenses.
  • Preferred Pharmacy Network (PPN) - Pacific Blue Cross has partnered with leading pharmacies to help with better control of drug plan costs and to make prescription drugs more affordable. PPN membership is automatic and offers exclusive savings at any of the 149 PPN, including:
    • Guaranteed low mark-ups and dispensing fees on all prescription drugs
    • Additional savings on high-cost, specialty drugs
    • Custom reporting and PPN plan designs to identify costs savings
    • Customized plan incentives including higher coinsurance rates
  • Special Authority - Ensure employees are aware of Fair PharmaCare and the Special Authority plan. Encourage them to sign up for Fair PharmaCare and if they are taking any expensive medications, to discuss Special Authority coverage with their doctor to see if the drugs can be covered so the cost of those drugs can shift to the province.

PharmaCare's Biosimilars Initiative: End Of Phase One

The switch period for phase one of the Biosimilars Initiative ended November 25, 2019. Starting on November 26, 2019, PharmaCare will only cover the Biosimilar versions of Enbrel®, Remicade®, and Lantus®. See here for more information.


Fair PharmaCare deductibles for 2020

On January 1, 2020, PharmaNet will be updated to reflect 2020 annual deductibles and family maximums for all registered individuals and families.  Fair PharmaCare coverage levels for 2020 are based on family net income for 2018.



Canadians pay among the highest patented drug prices in the world, after only the United States and Switzerland. Canadians pay close to 25% more than the median price that people in other developed countries pay for the same drugs. These amendments will give the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) the tools to protect Canadians from excessive prices and make patented medicines more affordable.

 ▶    READ MORE


CUPE Local 3052 and the District of Chetwynd ratify Collective Agreement

CUPE Local 3052 and the District of Chetwynd in northeastern B.C., have ratified a four-year collective agreement, that for the first time includes recognition of a new category of workers.

▶    READ MORE


New Report Reveals Health Care Needs Of 1 In 3 BC Women Are Not Being Met



That's the overall conclusion of a new report, In Her Words: Women's Experience with the Healthcare System in British Columbia, published by the BC Women's Health Foundation (BCWHF) and in proud partnership with Pacific Blue Cross.

In the report, women of all ages and socio-economic conditions across the province offered their perspectives on their overall health and experiences in the health care system. The findings were stark:
  • Three in 10 reported challenges accessing the health care they needed last year.
  • Just over half felt that a physician had diminished or overlooked their symptoms.
  • Nearly three quarters of Indigenous women felt their needs were not being met.
 
The report calls out the need for more accessible and tailored care that addresses mental health concerns unique to women, such as the prevalence of mental health issues that can arise during the various stages of a woman's reproductive life-from the onset of the menstrual cycle, to pregnancy and postpartum, and through menopause.

Let's keep this conversation going: 
learn more about our focus on women's mental health.

 

Winter is the season for snow and scarves, and it's also important to keep safety in mind. Whether you're spending time outside with the kids, shovelling snow, or staying warm by the fireplace, we've put together four health and safety tips for this time of the year.

▶    READ MORE


 
Contact us at:
                            
                               
 
Anna-Maria Wijesinghe   
                         Nathan Roeters
Manager, Member & Association Services          Account Executive
                                          
Union of BC Municipalities                                   Pacific Blue Cross
Phone: 604.270.8226 (ext. 111)                          Phone: 604.419.2412
Email: amwijesinghe@ubcm.ca                           Email:   nroeters@pac.bluecross.ca