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Tips on planning for dental costs if you don’t have coverage

A freelance photographer living in downtown Toronto, Armin Fares is living his dream. The 32-year-old says he worked hard to be his own boss and set his own schedule. But while working for himself offers independence, what he doesn’t offer is access to dental coverage. “I don’t have access to health benefits like you would work for a company,” Fares says. “I often fear getting some sort of dental issue like a cavity or a root canal because it’s so expensive to fix and could leave me financially vulnerable.” Fares says he has an emergency fund for unexpected health expenses,…
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Major Mass. health insurance provider says customer data was ‘copied and taken’ in cyberattack

A pair of major Massachusetts and New Hampshire health insurance companies are warning subscribers that a cybersecurity ransomware incident in March and April has compromised some members’ personal information. Point32Health, the corporate parent of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, said in April that the threat impacted systems that are used to service customers, accounts, brokers, and providers, officials said. It proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat out of an “abundance of caution” after “detecting an unauthorized party.” “Unfortunately, the investigation identified signs that data was copied and taken from our Harvard Pilgrim systems from…
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Attorney general, DOH commissioner issue alert on health insurance renewal scams

Fri, May 12th 2023 04:50 pm Submitted by the New York State Attorney General’s Office New York Attorney General Letitia James and Acting Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald warned New Yorkers about a new scam targeting New Yorkers enrolled in public health insurance programs and provided important tips to protect consumers. For the first time since March 2020, people enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan will have to renew their health insurance coverage. James and McDonald are urging New Yorkers to be vigilantes in light of reports of scammers deceptively calling people and asking…
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Sun Life’s innovative approach to mental health treatment

“Becoming a first-time mother has been incredibly exciting and fulfilling. However, I found myself needing extra support for my mental health,” she said. “There were several barriers preventing me from getting this, including cost. I was able to navigate my situation by working with a Mental Health Coach. A quick response and an action plan were what I needed and helped me to feel better.” Half of all disability claims for people under 44 are for mental diseases, making younger Canadians the group most affected by mental health problems. With MHC’s individualized and proactive approach, participants can take control of…
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Future-proofing the health and wellbeing of Canadian workplaces

The Benefits Together Conference Series provides a forum for meaningful dialogue on meeting the diverse health and wellness needs of employees TORONTO, May 4, 2023 /CNW/ – At an exclusive conference series in Halifax (April 19), Toronto (April 26) and Montreal (May 3), speakers and delegates came together to exchange thoughts, ideas and actionable strategies to support the health and wellbeing of today’s workforce. Alaina Mackenzie and Bernard Lord (CNW Group/Medavie Blue Cross) Hosted by Medavie Blue Cross, Benefits Together put access to care, mental health and diversity and inclusion into focus, while exploring the urgent questions and transformational trends…
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Federal dental plan could lead employers to drop coverage: assoc

OTTAWA – An association of health insurance providers warns it might not be useful for small businesses to provide dental benefits to some employees once the government launches a national dental-care plan. The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association has pitched the idea of ​​a federal tax credit for small businesses to convince them not to drop their coverage. “When governments provide free coverage for any type of benefit, employers will naturally ask if they should continue to pay for those or whether their employees would be as well-served ΓǪ moving to the public plan,” said association president Stephen Frank.…
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US health insurance problems affect well-being of HAE patients: Survey | US insurance coverage delays, denials ’cause huge disruptions’ for HAE patients

Insurance issues significantly affected the physical, psychological, and financial health of people with hereditary angioedema (HAE) in the US, according to a recent patient survey. Patients reported that health insurance delays and coverage denials led to more frequent HAE attacks, urgent care visits, missed work or school, and greater anxiety. “Barriers to care due to insurance delays are well documented, but data is lacking for HAE patients,” Nonie S. Arora, MD, of the University of Michigan and the study’s corresponding author, said in a press release. “We set out to examine not only the impact those denials and delays had…