In our previous newsletter, we shared the challenges we faced in 2022, but are in a much stronger position in 2023. We hired additional case managers and support staff, restructured our team to meet your unique needs and are planning new health initiatives for this year.

We are pleased to share that our hard work is paying off. Our service levels are continuing to improve over our book of business, and we have achieved our service level objectives within the first quarter of 2023 for our key metrics including time to decision and turnaround time on new mail.

Nobody’s excited to read about paperwork but hear us out – making sure forms are completed sets us up for more timely decisions, and helps us move forward with case management and return-to-work planning. Here are our top tips for setting us up for shared success:

1. Use updated claim forms. Claim forms can change over time. We suggest bookmarking this link to ADMINnet to ensure the most up-to-date claim forms are being used and we reduce the risk of having to go back and complete information.
2. Ensure claim forms are complete. Ensuring claim forms are complete is one way we can work together to minimize unnecessary delays. In particular, "Date of Hire" and "Date Last Worked" are fields that are commonly left blank. The impact is that it adds processing steps and delays to getting the claim adjudicated, and potentially delays payment to members who need the income replacement.
   
3. Statement of Health (SOH) - importance of submitting right away. This form is used when new staff elect to sign up for optional additional insurance like added Life Insurance or Accidental Death and Disability (AD&D) benefits. Please be advised, we have an updated form (which can be found on ADMINnet) and delays in submitting the correct SOH form may result in a closer review and delays in applying the added coverage.

In a perfect world, we would never have to change our passwords again, wouldn’t have to bother with two factor-authentication, and we could go back to those early days where hardly anybody put in a passcode – just press the home screen and go. But we’re far from a perfect world. Learn more about the importance of email encryption and tips if you're experiencing issues opening emails.

Timely communication is a cornerstone to our disability case service to you and our members. Given the nature of disability claims, there's often sensitive and private information that needs to be communicated. It's important that we take care to protect sensitive information in all our communications.

From Touch ID, facial recognition to two-factor authentication, data security practices continue to mature in all aspects of our digital life. We appreciate it can be frustrating to take an additional step to read encrypted emails. However, tighter information security in response to rising cyber threats is a reality for us in many areas, not just receiving emails with personal information.

Here are some things to keep in mind and how we can help: 

• The experience of opening encrypted emails will depend on the software –for instance, using Gmail or depending on the version of Microsoft 365/Outlook
• Many will be able to simply open encrypted emails, but others will need to take an additional step
• If you are experiencing significant barriers to opening encrypted emails, the Pacific Blue Cross information technology (IT) team is available to connect with you or your IT team to assess your needs and improve your experience. Please contact nsg@pac.bluecross.ca for assistance in resolving any barriers to accessing encrypted emails.

Meet Andrea, a team member within Work & Wellness bringing over two decades of experience in helping members return to work. A graduate of Budapest University of Economics and with an MBA from the University of Saskatchewan, Andrea’s experience includes the Royal Bank of Canada, as well as four major insurance companies where she worked as a disability case manager. Her typical day involves reviewing medical information, and gathering relevant details from claimants, employers, and treatment providers to complete thorough assessments. She constantly improves her skills to provide exceptional customer service and feels like the most rewarding aspect of her job is making a real difference in people's lives during their most challenging times. With a passion for teamwork, Andrea enjoys collaborating with her colleagues and her hobbies outside of the office include exercise classes, dancing, reading, and socializing with friends.