Selectpath - The RIGHT Path For Employers - Quarterly Newsletter
Sept/Oct 2005
>> IN THIS ISSUE:
(+) A MESSAGE From Selectpath
(+) The Change in Retirement Age & the Great Unknown
(+) To TPA or not to TPA?
(+) ABOUT Us
(+) Newsletter Archives
>> RECENT ARTICLES:
(+) So How Do You Milk the Cow Through the Fence?
(+) Do you have a U.S. Division?
(+) The Value of Stop Loss
(+) A Refresher on Cost Plus
(+) Read our archived articles.


John D. Harkins
Partner

Gordon R. Hart
Partner

J. Wayne Koch
Partner

Kevin L. Routley
Partner

 

FACTOID:

The average Canadian now uses one more prescription per year than they did five years ago. That represents a greater than 17% increase in the number of prescriptions per covered individual. (ESI Canada, Canadian Institute of Health Information and Statistics Canada, found in "Drug plan management: Yesteryear, today and beyond," Benefits Canada, August 2003, page 47)

 


A MESSAGE From Selectpath

“The Times They are a Changing” is a metaphor sung about by Bob Dylan in the 60’s that spoke of how the world was moving away from values of old to new ideologies. Wow, would he have a lot to sing about today!! World events like the Tsunami in Asia, Hurricanes in the United States, Earthquakes in Pakistan and terror attacks in the world give us little time to reflect on how good life is in Canada and everything we have to be thankful for.

We find difficulty in the way the driver in front of us drives and how long it takes to check out at the grocery store yet many people in these devastated areas are wondering where to look for their next meal.

We feel that Thanksgiving is a time of reflection and the time when we can slow down from life’s chaos and spend time with our families and friends. We hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and wish you well for the rest of 2005 and into 2006.

Thank you for allowing Selectpath to service your corporate insurance needs.

FEATURED ARTICLES:

The Change in Retirement Age & the Great Unknown
Kevin Routley
Partner, Selectpath Benefits & Financial
Employee Benefits & Pensions

The one certainty regarding retirement is the fact that everyone that lives long enough will have to consider when they will begin life in the “golden years”. Until now, the government has provided a timeline with the mandatory retirement age in Ontario being 65 years.

Many collective agreements are built around this age as are many employee benefit programs, pensions and social services. With the government proposing (it is all but a done deal) a change in the mandatory retirement age, many employers with benefit programs and pension plans are left with the decision of what to do with their program to accommodate this change in government legislation.

Click here to read more about pending changes to the mandatory retirement age.

To TPA or not to TPA?
By Gordon R. Hart, RHU, REBC
President & CEO

Many of our clients may know about or even use the services of a TPA (Third Party Administrator). TPA’s are organizations that “re-package” group insurance products of insurers or claim payors (underwriters). By “re-packaging” we mean that they are treated as a master policyholder on behalf of their clients, and are responsible for maintaining records, coordinating and collecting premiums and even assisting with the underwriting/pricing for the underwriter.

TPA’s operate on a few basic principles,

  • Clients are willing to pay a surcharge to have their administration and billing consolidated.
  • Clients are able to access products and services that would not be normally available as a stand alone policyholder with the insurer(s).
  • Clients achieve premium cost savings due to the improved retention (administration) costs of the insurer(s).

Click here to read more about TPA's.

ABOUT US:

Selectpath is an independent firm of professional financial advisors and employee benefits specialists based in London, Ontario. Through our strategic alliances with industry leaders in insurance and investments, we are able to offer our clients a broad range of products and services, which meet the highest standards for performance, stability and value. We are also able to serve a broad base of individual and corporate clients throughout the province.

Click here to learn more about how Selectpath can put you on The RIGHT Path®.

Please remember that while strategies outlined within this newsletter may be appropriate for some investors, you should always consult a financial advisor to determine if they are appropriate for you.

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