**As of May 2017, CDSPI no longer offers Group Benefits plans.**
Introducing CDSPI Group Benefits: Innovative Health Coverage Solutions for Dentists
"We often encounter smaller organizations struggling to attract and retain top talent. The challenge becomes even more acute when benefits are not part of the total compensation equation. In reality, the costs associated with providing employees benefit coverage are substantially lower than the costs of persistent employee turnover or other repercussions such as high absenteeism and compromised productivity."
Dentists can now access an innovative and affordable solution to help cover health-related costs—while also helping to strengthen the success of their businesses—thanks to the new CDSPI Group Benefits plan.1 Offered through Quikcard, CDSPI Group Benefits allow dentists (outside of Quebec and Ontario) to protect themselves and their immediate family—or everyone employed in their practices—with employee group benefits.
"In recent years, CDSPI has significantly enhanced the breadth of financial planning solutions we offer to the Canadian dental profession on behalf of our members, CDA and 9 provincial dental associations," says Susan M. Armstrong, CDSPI's president and CEO. "We're continuing that trend in a major way in 2012, with the introduction of CDSPI Group Benefits."
Unlike some employee group benefit plans available on the market, CDSPI Group Benefits are highly customizable. "Dentists can design a benefit package that meets both their needs and budgets, by allowing them to select the types of benefits they want, and tailor what is provided within those coverages," she explains.
Another major advantage of the CDSPI Group Benefits plan is the added value it provides to dental practices. The plan can help dentists attract and retain quality employees, and improve the health and morale of the dental office team.
Flexible Health Benefits
The CDSPI Group Benefits plan offers a range of health benefit options, including coverage for:
- Vision: prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses
- Extended health: such as ambulance, hospital stays and specified medical supplies
- Prescription drug: for those requiring long-term medication or monthly maintenance prescription requirements
- Stop loss: provides prescription drug coverage in case of an unexpected medical event which necessitates costly drug treatment
- Dental: basic, major and orthodontic dental services
Dentists create their own custom packages by selecting the types of health services they want and the limits for employees. These benefits can be provided in one of two ways: on an insured basis, or through affordable and innovative Health Spending Accounts.
Superior Insurance Plans
To manage expenses for more serious circumstances, the CDSPI Group Benefits plan also offers a range of employee group insurance products2 backed by leading group insurers in Canada, including:
- Life and dependant life
- Short term disability
- Long term disability3
- Accidental death and dismemberment
- Critical illness
- Medical travel
Fast and Convenient Service
Under the CDSPI Group Benefits plan, trusted CDSPI Advisory Services Inc. and Quikcard advisors provide dentists with the information and advice they need to make the best decisions for their practices and help employees sign up quickly and conveniently.
Quikcard offers easy administration, superior customer service and prompt claim payments. Employees can check the status of their HSAs online, and administrators in the practice can quickly add or remove members from the plan and view an up-to-date company statement through the Quikcard website.
To learn more about CDSPI Group Benefits, contact CDSPI Advisory Services Inc. at 1-877-293-9455, ext. 5002 or visit www.cdspi.com/group-benefits.
Health Spending Accounts
A Health Spending Account (HSA) provides a distinctive way to cover everyday health care costs such as vision, prescription drugs, dental and extended health (including preventive and alternate therapies—such as chiropractic care and massage therapy). HSAs are not insurance products. They are fully funded by the employer (and if desired, also in part by employees) and administered by Quikcard. The best part is that most health treatments are eligible for coverage under an HSA.
The dentist/employees contribute monthly to the HSA. HSAs are typically set up so that there are some limits on individual expenses (e.g. claims up to $1000 per employee per contract year) or on types of expenses that can be claimed (e.g. vision and prescription only). These limits are determined by the employing dentist, not Quikcard. The dentist chooses what and how much can be claimed, offering incredible flexibility and cost-certainty.
Along with cost-certainty, HSAs also provide cost-effectiveness: There are no sign up fees, no transaction fees and no medical questionnaires to answer. An administrative fee is applied only on claims made to HSAs. At the end of the contract year, any unused contributions left in the account can be returned, or rolled into the next contract year.
CDSPI (www.cdspi.com) is a non-profit organization providing insurance and investment programs and other services meeting the needs of the Canadian dental profession.
Quikcard (www.quikcard.com) administers comprehensive, innovative group benefits solutions for thousands of companies in Canada.
- You are eligible to apply for CDSPI Group Benefits if you are a licensed dentist resident in Canada, practising outside of Quebec or Ontario, who is a member of CDA or a participating provincial or territorial dental association. Ontario dentists can contact the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) for information about the ODA Extended Health Care plan and Accerta for information about their Health Spending Account (HSA) and Group Benefits program. In order for an eligible dentist to obtain CDSPI Group Benefits for themselves and their families only (and not employees of their practice), they must have a professional corporation or be a sole proprietor.
- Insurance products are provided by selected Canadian insurers and are arranged for by Quikcard Benefits Consulting Inc. and CDSPI Advisory Services Inc.
- Long term disability insurance is not available to dentists under CDSPI Group Benefits, but is available to dental office staff. Dentists requiring disability coverage can contact CDSPI for information about the Long Term Disability Insurance plan available through the Canadian Dentists' Insurance Program.