|
Tell your friends! | |
The Benefit Specialists Corp. is more than willing to answer any questions you or anyone you know may have had. If you know someone who has questions regarding the insurance industry or anyone who wants to join our mailing list please contact me, or forward this email to them and get them to click the join our mailing list button below.
Thanks!
|
|
Join Our List
|  |
|
|
Concussions it's a no brainer!
Dr. Kevin Creppin
Complete Concussion Management Specialist
BSc.(Hons), DC., ARTŪ, CSCS
| | |
Recently there has been quite a lot of media attention on concussions and we are seeing more and more high profile athletes missing significant playing time and suffering from serious head injuries. Concussions can occur with any form of acceleration/deceleration of the brain and do not need to involve contact to the head. No increase in helmet size or mouth guards can prevent this from occurring!
Following any suspected head injury an athlete must be removed from play immediately and NOT be allowed to return. The athlete needs to be assessed and placed in a period of complete rest in order to recover from the energy deficit that occurs after a concussion. The brain is very vulnerable during this time period; it is already in a state of imbalance and another hit to the head can cause an even greater energy deficit that can lead to dire, even fatal, consequences.
So what do we do? We need to ensure the athlete has adequate recovery time before allowing them to return to play! If managed properly, concussions are completely recoverable given the right amount of time and the proper management.
Contrary to popular belief, feeling better does not equal being better! Symptoms are a poor indicator of recovery and concussions cannot be viewed using CT or MRI scans! So practitioners must rely on having Baseline tests! The baseline test is given to an athlete pre-season to establish an athlete's normal, pre-injury performance. This is used as a benchmark, in which post-injury assessments can be compared. In the event of a potential injury, the athlete is examined and functional systems are tested. The results are compared to their pre-injury results so that subtle deficiencies can be picked up and the diagnosis can be properly made.
These baseline scores are also then used to accurately determine when the athlete has completely returned to their baseline levels and can therefore safely to return to their sport.
Peak Health and Performance is partnered with Complete Concussion Management and in accordance with our certifciation we are proud to offer the most comprehensive and evidenced based pre-season baseline testing ! For more information on how to book your own or team baseline tests please visit www.completeconcussions.com or www.peakhealthcalgary.com
Feel free to contact the Peak Health & Performance office today (403-287-7325) or stop by for a visit to the clinic in person at 5004 Elbow Dr SW!
|
|
IMPORTANT BENECO NOTICE!
| | |
Beneco Inc. is excited to announce the addition of our new Beneco online administration system. This system will now allow you and your employees the ability to submit claims online and also allow you to keep track of pending claims that have already been submitted. Plan Administrators will now be able to enroll, and terminate employees instantaneously. Plan Administrators will also now have the ability to track usage, pending claims, declined claims, and much more.
Implementing the Beneco online system will benefit your company in the following ways:
- Faster claim submission and approval. Claims will now be paid out in five business days or less after the date of submission.
- Approved claimed amounts will now be instantly transferred to the account of the eligible employee. No more waiting for cheques in the mail or having them lost in the mail!
- Employees will now have the ability to download our app to their smart phone so that they can submit their claims from anywhere and at anytime.
- Employers will now have the ability to control and track their Beneco PHSP plan like never before.
- No increase in FEES!
- Plus much more.
Beneco Inc. will be making this change mandatory for all clients over a period of time and we will be in contact shortly to discuss the transition period.
If you would like to get your company on the fast track to implementation please contact us and we will be happy to do so. We are truly excited for this change and hope we can serve you even better going forward.
|
|
Fall into the Routine!
TBSC
| | |
When you make influenza immunization (also referred to as a flu shot or nasal spray) an annual event, you protect yourself, your family, and our communities from infection & illness.
Influenza immunization will be available as of October 21, 2013, free of charge, to all Albertans six months of age and older, through dedicated Influenza Immunization Clinics across the province.
|
|
Dividends and Profit Sharing and How it Effects your Benefit Plan.
| |
Occasionally we see decision makers working closely with their Accountants to create tax advantages for the company by paying dividends to a non salary shareholder or contractor.
Unfortunately, Insurance Companies who handle group employee benefit plans have not caught up to their way of thinking and do not include dividends or profit sharing as part of the definition of earnings. Contractually they cannot provide any benefits for Long or Short Term Disability and will only offer a minimal amount of Life Insurance.
The concern from the insurance companies is that they cannot gauge the true loss of income, if the owner is still able to collect dividends while they are off sick or disabled. There is no true loss of income and therefore would not be eligible for disability benefits.
Independent Contractors
The changing nature of the workplace has opened up a lot of opportunities for more flexible employment arrangements. Given the chance, many people become independent contractors, selling their services to the highest bidder.
From a tax perspective, the difference between an employee and an independent contractor are payroll or government sponsored deductions for income tax, such as C.P.P. and E.I. This results in the contractor not receiving a T4 or T4A slip from the Employer, and subsequently would not be considered an employee and would not meet the contractual definition. They would not receive any disability benefits as well.
Some of the questions an insurance carrier may ask in regard to placing an employee who is a contract worker under group benefits.
Do they work exclusively for the company, and work for the plan sponsor on a regular, full time basis (i.e. at least 20 hours per week)? Is there a minimum 6 or 12 month renewable contract in place to provide coverage to the contractors, (benefits will cease when the individual's contract with the plan sponsor terminates)?
The plan sponsor is required to remit premium for independent contractors. In order for the plan sponsor to maintain non-taxable status of the benefits plan, CRA requires the plan sponsor to either fully recover premiums from the contractors on an after-tax basis OR to account for the premium as a taxable benefit to the contractor.
Should these two situations apply to your group benefits, please let us know so that we can work with you and the carrier to ensure your plan is set up correctly.
|
|
The information contained in this bulletin is for general information purposes only. The articles published in this bulletin have been collected by The Benefit Specialists Corp. (TBSC) and we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits out of, or in connection with, the use of the information contained in this bulletin. Through this bulletin you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TBSC. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. |
|
Sean Murray
The Benefit Specialists Corp.
sean.murray@beneco.ca
(403) 547-5236
|
|
|
