IT’S HERE! OUR LONG-AWAITED GROUP BENEFITS PLAN is ready to go and simple to register for. This plan is open to CDWA Members only, in accordance with Insurer guidelines governing the terms of group benefit plans provision.
All CDWA members are eligible:
> Walkers, whether independents, employers or full-time staff (working 20+ hours per week)
> Boarders
> Dog Daycares
Some Background
This is our first year with a group benefits plan and it was difficult to get an insurer to work with us because, as a new industry association, they are unable to “trend” our group. In layman’s terms, they want to make money and they don’t know if our group will be profitable because we’re new. Our Broker prepared angles and case studies, presented and argued on our behalf, and got us a vendor and a deal. This history is important, because it says that we were lucky to obtain a group benefits plan at all.
Another layer of complexity to all of this is that we wanted a group plan, as an association. Normally, employers provide benefits plans, associations don’t. So this forced some changes to how the plan would look, how CDWA must administrate it, that it requires membership to CDWA, and what our collective obligations are.
Today, we have a plan that that gave us everything we asked for, per the Toronto polls conducted in 2017, except short and long term disability which were far too cost-prohibitive to include—but we have a benevolence plan to address disability (timing: tbd, but hoping for 2022, revenue pending).
This said, we do have a great group benefits plan that no other insurance carrier can come close to. And, after year one—depending how many members register for it—we will have more power to negotiate an even better deal. We are proving ourselves as a group in Year One.
CDWA is pleased to be able to offer Life Health and Dental Benefits to all of our Members.
The Year One Group Benefits Plan | What Does it Look Like
Our plan is a 30/70 Co-Pay plan. This means you pay 30% of the benefits you are eligible for and the rest is covered by your premium. In other words, our group plan provides substantial financial relief for health and dental care services. If you have coverage for health and dental care through another source, you can (and only then) still apply for benefits and receive the Life Insurance portion of the CDWA benefit program. In that event, you would waive the health and dental benefits (and costs) in the Enrollment Form, below.
This Group Benefits Program, as presented below, is our starting place. We are forced to start small and build from there. The upshot? Financial relief of 70% in your favour is always going to be 70% better than zero.
Here’s where we landed:
Life Insurance – $10,000.00 benefit
$10,000.00 death benefit until age 65 | reduces 50% to $5,000 at age 65 | reduces another 50% to $2,500 at age 70 | benefit ends at age 75 (or earlier retirement)
This is a standard Plan inclusion
Zero Deductible
This Program has a $0.00 deductible for all health and dental benefits
Prescription Drugs – $1,000.00 annual maximum, per covered individual
70% coverage of eligible mandatory prescription generic drugs. A drug card will be issued to you upon activation and receipt of your initial three-months’ payment. Excludes fertility, anti-smoking, anti-obesity, and ED (erectile dysfunction) drugs
Dental – 70% coverage of up to $1,000.00 per year, per covered individual
For preventative and basic services (ie: cleanings/fillings, Endodontic and Periodontic). Two visit maximum per year.
Vision – 70% coverage of up to $200 per covered individual, every 24 months
Applies to prescription glasses or contact lenses
Paramedical – 70% coverage of up to $300/year, per practitioner, per covered individual
Paramedical practitioners include: Massage Therapist, Physiotherapist, Chiropractor
NEW: Assistance Program
Short-term Counseling and Psychotherapy, Health Care Navigation, Work-life Support + Lifestyle coaching, Care-giving Support, Addiction Services, Crisis Intervention, Trauma Services, and Financial/Legal Support. Short term is defined as three months per year. This is a compassionate service, offered through the HumanaCare network and helpful when life issues intensify, as they do (health crises, stress, loss/bereavement of any type, depression).
Emergency out of province/country coverage – $5,000,000.00 lifetime maximum
Limited to first 60 days of travel per trip
Benefits Card
You will receive a Benefits Card which will work at all pharmacies and dental offices and some paramedical practitioners. At the pharmacy, you will only pay your 30% with the remainder being processed through the card. Other providers have different reimbursement policies that may allow your claims to be processed in this manner, or you may have to pay for the services up front and submit the receipt (online, through the mobile app or via snail mail) to be reimbursed for the 70% of the eligible expense. If you want to never pay more than your 30% up front, choose practitioners who offer that policy.
The Group Benefits Plan | Monthly Pricing
Benefits coverage rate per single member: $80.00 per month + RST
Benefits coverage rate per staff member (for employers): $80.00 per month + RST
Benefits coverage rate per member family: $200.00 per month + RST
Life Insurance coverage rate (if Health & Dental is waived): $20.00 per month + RST
> Family is defined as two adults and all eligible dependents, under age 21 or up to age 25, if enrolled in post-secondary education.
> For Employers, each staff member counts as a single individual plan member. Have each individual complete an enrollment form. Please note that cost reductions for higher numbers of employees does exist. To be arranged on a case-by-case basis.
> Retail Provincial Sales Tax (RST) is charged at 8% within Manitoba and Ontario, and at 9% in Quebec.
> Only CDWA members are eligible for benefits.
The Group Benefits Program | Registration Documents
To apply for benefits, please complete and return all of the pieces requested, below.
Download: CDWA Group Benefits Enrollment Form
This a is fillable PDF. You won’t be able to save it to your system once it is filled in, so be sure to complete it, print TWO copies, sign it and send CDWA one print out with an original signature. Keep the second print out for your records.
Download: CDWA Terms & Conditions
This is the contract you will have with CDWA for provision of your benefits. Kindly sign and return with your enrollment form.
Identification
Please include high quality photocopies of two pieces of picture I.D. It must be government-issued identification (driver’s license, health card), and a photocopy of your city permit, if you have one.
VOID Cheque
Payment will be debited from your account by pre-authorized debit, monthly. Please supply a void cheque, along with these other components.
All information provided to CDWA is strictly confidential and will never be shared.
Mail Benefits Applications and supporting documents to:
Canadian Dog Walkers Association
655 Broadview Avenue, Ste 1210
Toronto, ON, M4K 2P3