Mental Health Resources for Group Insurance

The success of an organization is built on the health of its workforce. As the cost of mental health issues in the workplace continue to rise, employers must look for solutions that support the overall well-being of their employees.

Research shows that employers who invest in benefits that promote wellness of both mind and body see returns in the form of reduced health care costs, increased productivity, and the recruitment and retention of top talent.

We are committed to helping employers build mentally healthy workplaces in Canada.

Mental Health Resources for Group Insurance

The success of an organization is built on the health of its workforce. As the cost of mental health issues in the workplace continue to rise, employers must look for solutions that support the overall well-being of their employees.

Research shows that employers who invest in benefits that promote wellness of both mind and body see returns in the form of reduced health care costs, increased productivity, and the recruitment and retention of top talent.

We are committed to helping employers build mentally healthy workplaces in Canada.

The Cost of Mental Health

With approximately 1 in 5 members of Canada’s working age population living with a mental health issue or illness,
and mental health now the leading cause of disability claims, the time for businesses to act is now.

Every year, mental health-related illnesses cost the Canadian economy $51 billion dollars. By 2021, this is expected to rise to $88.8 billion.

Every week in Canada, approximately 500,000 employees call in sick to work due to stress, anxiety, and depression.

More than 30% of disability claims and 70% of disability costs that Canadian businesses pay out are due to mental illness.

Solutions for you and your workforce

Are you looking for solutions that will protect the mental health of your workforce and sustain your plans for the future?

At Medavie Blue Cross, we have developed a comprehensive offering of mental health resources to ensure your employees get the best care possible and that every plan dollar is spent wisely.

Self-Care

This wellness portal allows plan members to create their own personal profile for customized advice, information and tips on how to stay healthy including self-care resources for mental well-being The portal features a health assessment tool that helps members get an overall snapshot of their health, identify risk factors and create personalized wellness strategies.

Learn more about My Good Health

Our EFAP program, inConfidence, offers plan members confidential counselling and education services to deal with a wide range of issues they may face at home or on the job. This comprehensive program provides direct access to expert care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Support is available in person, by telephone or online.

Treatment

Our pharmacy benefit management services combine clinical expertise, technology, insights and strategic relationships to offer innovative solutions for mental health care. For example, our digital therapy service for disability claimants with a mental health diagnosis combines psychology and pharmacy therapies through doctor-to-doctor consults – the gold standard in mental health care. This service is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

Learn more about our Drug Solutions

Approximately 50% of all medications are not taken as prescribed. Through our Medavie Mobile app, plan members can activate our medication management feature, which allows them to receive reminders to take their medications, refill their prescriptions, and and learn more about the importance of taking their medications. Members can also learn more about their medication through our My Good Health wellness portal.

Learn more about our Medication Management Feature

More than 60% of people with mental health issues won’t seek expert care because of cost, stigma or access to qualified mental health professionals. Our internet-enabled Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) program lets plan members access clinically-proven treatment for mild to moderate anxiety or depression from the privacy of their homes. Members receive support and guidance from a dedicated therapist and a personalized treatment plan that includes educational materials and videos. Members can also book direct video sessions with the therapist of their choosing using our Live Therapy option.

Learn more about Digital Therapy

As part of our commitment to remove barriers to treatment, we offer enhanced standard mental health benefits to new plans (and upon renewal) with higher maximum options and access to the services of a broader range of health practitioners. Our roster of eligible service providers includes psychologists, social workers, counselling therapists, psychotherapists and psychoeducators with an annual combined maximum of up to $5,000 ($1,000 being the recommended standard). Digital therapy is available under this maximum.

Learn more about our Group Benefit Solutions

Recovery

We take a fully integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to disability case management that seamlessly guides claimants through their treatment and recovery—every step of the way. We have an in-house team of over 130 professionals to handle all aspects of case management – from a full assessment of a claimant’s level of function to a thorough analysis of workplace programs and accommodations. Our goal is to return claimants with a mental health diagnosis back to health and back to work, safely and quickly.

Medavie Blue Cross was one of the first insurers in Canada to offer early stage psychiatric assessment and care for short-term disability claimants with a mental health diagnosis. Our early intervention services are delivered in partnership with Medaca, Health Group, and is resulting in shorter wait times for treatment and shorter absences from work. In fact, we have seen a 28% increase in the number of mental health claimants returning to work before the end of the short term disability period.

Pharmacogenetic testing is a new tool in personalized medicine that predetermines the safest and most effective drug therapies and dosages, based on the plan member’s unique genetic profile. The predictive insights of pharmacogenetic testing can help treating physicians identify the right medications at the right doses for their patients for optimal health outcomes.
We have partnered with Pillcheck, a leader in pharmacogenetics testing, to offer this service, exclusively to plan members, at preferred rates.

Learn more about Pharmacogenetic Testing

Connected Care

Plan members can use their mobile device or computer to skip the waiting line and connect with a Canadian doctor in minutes for consultation and treatment wherever they are and whenever they need it. We have partnered with Maple, one of Canada’s leading virtual health care providers, to offer this service, exclusively to plan members, at preferred rates.

Learn more about Online Doctors

More than 60% of people with mental health issues won’t seek expert care because of cost, stigma or access to qualified mental health professionals. Our internet-enabled Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) program lets plan members access clinically-proven treatment for mild to moderate anxiety or depression from the privacy of their homes. Members receive support and guidance from a dedicated therapist and a personalized treatment plan that includes educational materials and videos. Members can also book direct video sessions with the therapist of their choosing using our Live Therapy option.

Learn more about Digital Therapy

Pharmacogenetic testing is a new tool in personalized medicine that predetermines the safest and most effective drug therapies and dosages, based on the plan member’s unique genetic profile. The predictive insights of pharmacogenetic testing can help treating physicians identify the right medications at the right doses for their patients for optimal health outcomes. We have partnered with Pillcheck, a leader in pharmacogenetics testing, to offer this service, exclusively to plan members, at preferred rates.

Learn more about Pharmacogenetic Testing