THE ONLY SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL ICI ROOFING CONTRACTORS IN ONTARIO ORN 20  ONTARIO ROOFING NEWS – ISSUE 1 2019 Employee Benefits T he employee benefits landscape is constantly adapting to meet changing societal norms and expectations. As studies have shown, benefit plans can aid employees in being healthy, both mentally and physically, which in turn promotes employee happiness, encouraging productivity and reducing absenteeism. Here is a quick overview on some of the changes that are impacting employee benefit programs in Ontario. Achanging landscape By Tara Klein Insurance Notes OHIP+ In the last few years there have been some rather significant po- litical headlines that have garnered a lot of attention, starting on a national level and trickling down to a provincial level. The federal government announced the concept of National Phar- macare with the creation of and funding for the Canadian Drug Agency. Mental health needs and changing perceptions continue to appear in all levels of news cycles and most political and social talking points. Provincial governments have followed in lockstep with the federal government in announcing programs and changes. One of the most notable programs in Ontario was the creation of OHIP+ by Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government. The program launched in January of 2018 and provided prescrip- tion drug coverage for Ontarians under the age of 25. The coverage was limited to the 4,400 drugs covered under the Ontario Drug Ben- efit program, but coverage also extended to those under the age of 25 that also had private insurance coverage through parents, employment or post-secondary schools. The program was well received by residents of Ontario. For com- panies that provide employee benefits plans, a frequent question was, “how does this affect my premiums?” and “what needs to be done to make sure claims go through OHIP+ instead of the company insurance plan?” The insurance companies responded quickly to their plan spon- sors. Pre-emptively, most companies were already crunching numbers in the background to adjust drug premiums to reflect the anticipated decrease in plan member claims. OHIP+ became the first payer when prescriptions were filled. Phar- macies only needed to enter the OHIP card of the claimant and the cost, if eligible, would be billed to OHIP+. If a prescription wasn’t covered under OHIP+, the company plan would be billed. Many felt that the real winners in the Liberals’ version of OHIP+ were the private insurance companies. Fast forward to the results of the provincial election. The Progressive Conservatives came into office and announced that their intention was to roll back OHIP+. OHIP+ wouldn’t disappear, but would be reallocated to those that “need it most.” If cov- erage existed under a private health-care plan, those under the age of 25 would no longer be eligible for OHIP+. The rollback went into effect on April 1, 2019. As a result, insurance companies have been working on adjusting drug premiums to com- pensate for the expected increase in future claims. The recognition of these expected claims is typically being done when a plan is at renewal, and from the renewals received at Fenn & Fenn, the adjustments have been fair and moderate given historical plan experience. Whether you agree with the Liberal or the Conservative version, OHIP+ is a program that overall gives Ontarians a win by providing prescription drug coverage to those that have none. Wellness Accounts Not new to the benefits landscape but certainly less utilized are Employee Health Wellness Accounts. Some consider them an extra or a bonus to a basic benefit plan. Similar to a Health Care Spending Account, Wellness programs enable an employer to provide an additional benefit to their employees and families beyond health and dental care. A few examples of what you can use a Wellness Account for: Ontario Dental Fee Increase Dental premium costs are adjusted annually according to the claims made by plan members in the previous year and the pro- vincial dental fee guide, and 2019 is no exception. The fee increase set by the Ontario Dental Association for 2019 is 4.19 per cent. Compared to 1.86 per cent in 2018, the increase may appear rather steep, but there’s good reason for it. The higher than average increase is due to improved infection and prevention control measures that were implemented in 2017. • Fitness memberships • Sports league fees • Fitness classes • Home exercise equipment • Nutritional and weight counselling services • Sports equipment Claims made under a Wellness Account are tax- able to the employee. OHIP+ Dental Claims Wellness Accounts Employee Assistance Plans Legalized Marijuana