Accessing your Employee and Family Assistance Program
We all need some extra support when the hard times hit. At UBC, the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), offered through Morneau Shepell’s Lifeworks, is a confidential, voluntary, short-term solution-focused counselling support service that provides you and your family with help to resolve a wide range of personal, work, health or life issues.
When should I utilize EFAP?
EFAP can be utilized for concerns, issues, or questions that you might have regarding your or your loved ones’ wellbeing. Some of the common reasons for accessing EFAP include:
- Emotional and mental health concerns
- Life transitions
- Health coaching
- Substance use and addiction/recovery (alcohol, drugs, gambling, smoking cessation)
- Work/life balance
- Stress management (including work related stress)
- Financial, legal, and nutrition support
Confidentiality and professionalism
Your confidentiality will be respected when you utilize EFAP. Morneau-Shepell ensures that no one from UBC will be aware that you have contacted them, and the only data received by UBC is aggregate summaries about the types of services accessed. EFAP has a myriad of counselling locations and will ensure that you will never have a back-to-back appointment with anyone else who works at the university.
You will interact with experienced professionals through EFAP – the clinical counsellors have a minimum of five to 10 years of EFAP related counselling. Additionally, the professionals responsible for work/life services have designated credentials based on their specific area of expertise.
What should I expect when I access EFAP?
If you have ever felt anxious about utilizing EFAP, you are not alone! Knowing what to expect when you reach out can often help lessen the uneasiness.
To access the EFAP Care Access Centre (CAC), call 1-800-387-4765. This line is available 24/7. Once you are connected, you will be asked to make a selection.
Press 1 if you are interested in counselling services. You will be transferred to an intake specialist who will gather your contact information, confirm your eligibility and ask preliminary questions about your current concern.
- If your situation is deemed urgent, you will be immediately connected with a counsellor over the phone.
Please note: If there is the potential for immediate harm to yourself or others, please call 9-1-1.
- If your situation is deemed non-urgent, an appointment with the most suitable counsellor, based on your needs and wants, will be scheduled. The average wait time for an in-person counselling appointment is five business days. If you have specific preferences, the wait may be longer.
Press 2 if you are interested in scheduling a non-urgent EFAP work/life request, or if you need to cancel or re-schedule an appointment. An intake specialist will assist you with your inquiry.
Press 3 if you are calling to request critical incident debriefing or a manager consult. An intake specialist will gather your contact information, confirm your eligibility and ask preliminary questions about your current issue.
- For critical incident debriefing, the intake specialist will arrange for an on-site counsellor to be dispatched to your location.
- For a manager consult, the intake specialist will connect you with a counsellor over the phone.
Questions?
If you have any questions about EFAP, please contact efap.info@ubc.ca
Applying for Income Replacement or Disability Benefits
When unexpected medical events occur, being prepared will help you feel secure that you still have the income you need to continue living comfortably. UBC’s Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits, offered to eligible employees, protect you when you have a total disability that prevents you from working for an extended period.
AT UBC, the LTD benefits are commonly referred to as Income Replacement Plan (IRP) – used for faculty – and Disability Benefit Plan (DBP) – used for staff. If you need to be away from work for a long period of time due to an illness or disability, you can apply for those benefits. Everyone who meets the eligibility rules is automatically enrolled in the plan.
Here’s what you need to know when applying for IRP/DBP benefits:
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Review all the steps of the process thoroughly:
The application process takes time and requires detailed information from you, your department and your physician. It is very important that you submit it before the deadline to avoid delays of your benefit payment or even your claim being declined.
The application package includes the following forms:
- Plan Member’s Statement: it provides Sun Life with information about your condition, how it occurred, your general medical history, and your expected sources of income and benefits while you’re on leave.
- Attending Physician’s Statement: it provides Sun Life with specific medical information about your condition and your expected recovery. Your doctor’s statement must provide a diagnosis and prognosis for your condition.
- Plan Sponsor’s Statement: it is completed by your department’s administrator or human resources manager.
All medical and personal information submitted to Sun Life is kept confidential and not shared with UBC.
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Submit all forms on time:
You are encouraged to apply for IRP/DBP at least eight weeks prior to the end of the elimination period. The elimination or waiting period is the time after the first day you missed work due to a disability and before income benefits from the plan become payable. LTD plans have a six-month elimination period – with the exception of the CUPE 2950 plan, which has a four-month elimination period.
If you submit your application 12 months after your last day worked, Sun Life will decline your LTD claim due to late filing.
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Provide all the required medical details:
LTD claims are often delayed due to lack of sufficient medical information. This can be avoided by reminding your physician to attach all medical charts, lab work, etc., when completing the Attending Physician’s Statement.
Your case manager at Sun Life will contact you to inform of any missing information that is needed to assess your claim.
For more details on IRP/DBP, please visit UBC’s Workplace Wellbeing & Benefits website. Further information is available by contacting Priscilla Babunga, Disability Claims Associate, at 604-822-8696 or disabilityclaims.info@ubc.ca.
2019 Tax Info: Medical Expense Claims & T4/T4A Receipts
This year’s tax filing season is about to start. A question that often arises is how to claim medical expenses. Which expenses can I claim? What documents do I need? We hope to give some light to these questions here.
How to claim medical expenses on your tax return
You may be eligible to claim expenses if you or your eligible dependents have any extended health and/or dental care claims from the 2019 calendar year that were not reimbursed by Sun Life or other benefits plans. This also depends on your or your dependents’ net income.
You may be able to claim unreimbursed medical expenses on your tax return if:
- You (or your spouse) have unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 3% of your net income or the amount of $2,352, whichever is less;
- Your eligible dependents have unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 3% of their net income or the amount of $2,352, whichever is less.
For more information on the types of medical expenses for which you can claim and how to do it, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.
Note: any Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums you pay cannot be claimed on your tax return.
If you have questions about claiming medical expenses, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency or your financial advisor directly.
2019 tax receipts now available
Faculty, staff and student employees can download their 2019 T4 and T4A statements for their tax returns via the Faculty and Staff Self-Service portal.
How to download your statement:
- Log in to the Faculty and Staff Self-Service portal at www.msp.ubc.ca, using your Campus-Wide Login (CWL). If you are off-campus, you will need to connect using VPN;
- Click on HRMS Self-Service;
- In the My Pay section, select Year End Slips to access your statement for the current and previous years. If you have not previously accessed your slips online, you will be required to acknowledge a consent agreement.
Note: Faculty and staff who choose not to accept the agreement will have their T4/T4A statements mailed in late February, consistent with the requirements of the Canada Revenue Agency. Please ensure that your mailing address is up-to-date.
What are T4 and T4As?
T4 and T4As are tax slips or receipts prepared by your employer, payer or administrator:
- T4 slip is the Statement of Remuneration Paid, which is issued for employees who received salary, wages, tips or gratuities, bonuses, vacation pay, employment commissions, other remuneration and taxable benefits.
- T4A slip is the Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income, which is issued for employees who received other amounts related to employment such as research grants, fellowship, bursary and retiring allowances etc.
For more information on your taxes or obtaining your tax slips, please visit https://finance.ubc.ca/payroll/your-taxes.
UBC Group MSP Ends Jan. 1, 2020
There are important changes coming to UBC’s Group Medical Services Plan (MSP).
The MSP is the provincial government program that covers medically-required services provided by physicians and supplementary health care practitioners, laboratory services and diagnostic procedures.
The BC Ministry of Health previously announced that effective Jan. 1, 2020 MSP premiums will be eliminated. The MSP program administered by Health Insurance BC (HIBC) will continue to provide provincially-insured health care benefits for eligible BC residents. Due to the elimination of monthly premiums, UBC will no longer administer a Group MSP for its employees. Instead, your MSP account will be managed directly by HIBC.
Next Steps
You do not need to re-apply for MSP coverage. HIBC will automatically put you and any existing dependents into a self-administered MSP account when UBC’s Group Plan ends on Jan. 1, 2020. You will receive a letter from HIBC with current account information when your new MSP account is created.
Maintain Your MSP Account with HIBC
After UBC’s MSP group plan ends on Jan. 1, 2020, you will be responsible for keeping your MSP account up-to-date and requesting changes. Notify HIBC directly at www.gov.bc.ca/ManagingYourMSPAccount if you need to change or update any of the following details:
- Change your address
- Your personal information, or information for other individuals on your account (e.g. name, date of birth, or gender)
- To add and/or remove a spouse, including common-law partner or child(ren)
- Your status in Canada (e.g. new work permit, study permit, or confirmation of permanent residence)
Address Reminder
It is also important that HIBC has your current address on file before Jan. 1, 2020. To update your address, visit www.addresschange.gov.bc.ca or contact UBC’s Payroll Benefits Representatives.
For more information:
If you are currently enrolled in a UBC Group MSP Plan, you will receive a memo on Nov. 21 with more detailed information.
- Questions about your MSP coverage
- To request an MSP Account Confirmation Letter
Do you have questions? Contact the Health, Wellbeing & Benefits team at benefitsinfo@hr.ubc.ca.
BC PharmaCare’s Biosimilar Initiative
What does the BC government’s Biosimilars Initiative for Patients mean for UBC’s Extended Health plan members? In this article, we provide details about the new program and the impact for those patients taking one of the three identified biologic drugs identified by BC PharmaCare.
Background
Earlier this year, the BC government announced its biosimilar initiative – a program to increase the use of biosimilar drugs with the goal of improving the long-term sustainability of the BC PharmaCare program.
The initiative will require patients to transition from a reference biologic drug to a biosimilar drug which is the same active ingredient and strength as the reference product. Biologics include a wide range of pharmaceutical products produced by living cells. According to the BC government, biosimilars are equally as safe and effective and have the same clinical outcomes as the reference biologic product. Biosimilars are typically less expensive and available after the patent for biologics expire.
For more information on this initiative, please visit the BC government’s website on Biosimilars Initiative for Patients.
What is changing?
Under the BC PharmaCare program, patients taking either of the three biologic drugs – Enbrel®, Remicade®, and Lantus® – must transition to biosimilars in order to receive coverage. The changes will happen over two phases:
Phase 1 – Effective Nov. 26, 2019
Patients have until Nov. 25, 2019, to consult with their physician to change their prescriptions to the applicable biosimilar based on the condition/indication listed below. After that, BC’s PharmaCare program will only provide coverage for Enbrel®, Lantus® and Remicade® for certain medical conditions on an exception basis.
| Biologic Originator |
Biosimilar | Condition/Indication |
| Enbrel® | Brenzys® | Ankylosing spondylitis
Rheumatoid arthritis |
| Erelzi™ | Ankylosing spondylitis
Rheumatoid arthritis Psoriatic arthritis |
|
| Remicade® | Inflectra®
Renflexis® |
Ankylosing spondylitis
Rheumatoid arthritis Plaque psoriasis Psoriatic arthritis |
| Lantus® | Basaglar™ | Diabetes (type 1 and 2) |
Phase 2 – Effective Mar. 6, 2020
Patients have until Mar. 5, 2020, to consult with their physician to change their prescription to the applicable biosimilar based on the condition/indication listed below. After that, BC’s PharmaCare program will only provide coverage for Remicade for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis on an exception basis.
| Biologic Originator |
Biosimilar | Condition / Indication |
| Remicade® | Inflectra®
Renflexis® |
Crohn’s Disease
Ulcerative colitis |
What does this mean for UBC plan members?
Plan members (and their eligible dependents) taking biologics for the conditions/indications above prior to the changes:
UBC plan members receiving reimbursement under the Extended Health plan for any of the biologic drugs listed above prior to the changes will not be required to transition to the biosimilar. However, it is recommended that plan members discuss applicable biosimilar treatment options with their health care team. If current plan members choose to remain on the biologic, there are a few factors to be aware of:
- Unless a plan member has received an exception to continue with their current biologic drug, the costs will no longer accumulate towards their BC PharmaCare family deductible or overall maximum. Find out more about the BC PharmaCare deductible here.
- Other insurance carriers may no longer be covering the affected biologic drugs which may impact coordination of benefits through a spouse’s plan.
- If a plan member leaves UBC or retires, the biologic may not be covered under their new plan, UBC’s retiree extended health plan, or the BC PharmaCare program.
Plan members (and their eligible dependents) submitting new prescription drug claims for the conditions/indications above:
Plan members submitting new prescription drug claims for one of the conditions/indications noted above will only be covered for the biosimilar drug provided they are approved under UBC’s FACET prior authorization drug program, aligning with the BC PharmaCare program initiative. Once the BC PharmaCare deductible has been satisfied, claims reimbursement will be coordinated with BC PharmaCare.
Visit the BC government’s Fair PharmaCare Plan for more information on the BC PharmCare program, including deductibles and maximums.
Questions?
BC PharmaCare has been proactive in communicating these changes and providing resources for prescribers and pharmacists. It is likely that many affected members are already aware of the change. However, if you have any questions, please contact benefitsinfo@hr.ubc.ca.
Do you have questions? Contact the Health, Wellbeing & Benefits team at benefitsinfo@hr.ubc.ca.
Plan Ahead for Your Retirement
The key to a smooth transition into your retirement from UBC is planning ahead of time. Whether you have started this process or are considering it, our Retiring website is a very helpful resource.
This website provides all the information and steps you’ll need to consider to ensure that everything is wrapped up before you retire from UBC. For example, you can explore the option of enrolling in the Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program, which includes extended health and dental plans, as well as the Employee & Family Assistance Program.
Also a valuable resource, the Pension Administration Office (PAO) has retirement checklists and guides on their websites – both for staff and faculty. The PAO hosts seminars and workshops to help you understand your retirement options. If you are within a year of retiring, you are encouraged to schedule a meeting with a member services specialist to review your options.
If you have questions related to the UBC Staff Pension Plan or UBC Faculty Pension Plan, please contact the UBC Pension Administration Office at 604-822-8100.
Remember, retiring from UBC doesn’t mean you have to retire from campus life all together. As an important member of our community, you have Privileges After Retiring, including access to a UBC Library Card and free walking tours at UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan. Be sure to check them out!
For more information:
- Leaving UBC
- UBC Staff Pension Plan
- UBC Faculty Pension Plan
- Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program (RSB)
- Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
Do you have questions? Contact the Health, Wellbeing & Benefits team at benefitsinfo@hr.ubc.ca.