Health Risk Services Inc.

Flu Shots & Vaccines Really Do Save Lives We are heading into the fall and winter flu season when flu shots become available in Canada. They are highly recommended, particularly for people with underlying conditions, or who live with people who are immune-compromised due to conditions or medications. But this year is different. The COVID-19 pandemic still rages on making all of us now even more conscious of taking greater health precautions. Unfortunately, there are also mo...Continue reading

Does Your Benefits Plan Include an Employee & Family Assistance Program? We are still in the midst of a pandemic, and the fall-winter flu season is just around the corner. Now more than ever, employees need to know that they are not only protected from the virus and flu when they are at work, but that they also have health benefits and assistance if they do get sick. Stay at Home if You’re Sick Employers who worry about absenteeism should enforce the Stay at Home mantra thi...Continue reading

As we enter a new month of COVID-19 protocols, the indirect and evolving implications of the pandemic are establishing new norms and roles within our family units for parents, guardians and those tasked with childcare responsibilities.For employees of essential service organizations, and as non-essential entities ponder re-opening strategies and requirements, employees with children face numerous challenges including extended school closures, childcare acility shortages and t...he increasing necessity to provide adequate and sometimes constant care with educational support. These demands paired with the new realities of remote work environments and the professional obligations of day to day work have amplified the need for employee support measures and workplace flexibility. Here are a few suggestions on how to manage the enormous task of taking care of children while remaining productive and performing your day to day obligations. Read more>>>>https://bit.ly/2ZpJJLj

Homewood Health COVID-19 ToolKit https://www.healthrisk.ca//Homewood-Health-COVID-19-Toolki

We hope everyone has a safe Victoria Day long weekend! . . .... . #maylongweekend #staysafe #healthrisk See more

Decision trees are so handy! #socialdistancing #hometime

Grateful for all the nurses. So true. #InternationalNursesDay

Meet the Team.... Deborah Huckinson Claims Specialist & Client Care [email protected]... Deborah’s Inspiration: The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. Mark Twain Deborah has been in administration for over 10 years, combining her desire to help others and her drive to expand the shared knowledge of those around her. With a compassionate touch, being the friendly, first point of contact has always been the favored part of her roles and speaks to her success in building rapport with clients. Hailing from the East Coast of Canada, Deborah’s love of the Maritimes and their culture is important to her and being a ‘member of the family’ is something she hopes everyone will experience when contacting HRS!

Meet the Team... Rhonda Litzenberger Benefits Operations Manager [email protected]... At this time Rhonda moved into working with Insurance Benefits, where her main duties included, processing claims, accounting and providing excellent Customer Service. She has been involved with Insurance Benefits for approximately 5 years and in January 2020 was excited to join Health Risk Services Inc. as Operations Manager. She looks forward to building and maintaining strong relationships with Health Risk Services Inc. clients to ensure all their benefits needs and questions are met. In her off time she enjoys spending time with family, friends, pets and quilting.

The team at Health Risk Services is pleased to share the following announcement with all of our valued TuGo clients: Dear partners, As we all know, COVID-19 has brought unprecedented changes to personal and professional livelihoods; it’s also brought with it an unprecedented number of refund requests. Please know that the TuGo team is doing our best to respond as quickly as possible.... In response to all of these requests, we have some good news to sharecustomers will now be given the option of a Travel Insurance Voucher with bonus, in place of a partial or full refund! Visit the HRS website to see which voucher or refund applies to my customer? https://www.healthrisk.ca/covid-19-information-centre/

Resources to Help Canadians with the Financial Impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic April 2020 Where can I get more information on COVID-19? Here are some helpful links to gather more recent information.... If your finances have been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, The Credit Counselling Society of Canada has gathered key information that may help you. For a general overview of financial relief measures that are available to Canadians, please check out the overview on the infographic as follows: https://www.nomoredebts.org//Financial-Relief-Canada-COVID

As the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve beyond physical illness, many are faced with economic challenges as numerous non-essential businesses and their employees have faced temporary closures and subsequent layoffs. Additionally, service-based industries including travel and food preparation are seeing reductions in business as are those in manufacturing and construction. In many instances, businesses have closed in order to reduce the risk of infection. Read more on our website>>>>https://www.healthrisk.ca/covid-19-information-centre/

Self-isolation and quarantine are essential in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, home is not the safest option for individuals and families experiencing domestically violent relationships. As quarantine measures continue, many experts and statistics show domestic... violence is increasing. Read more >>>>> https://www.healthrisk.ca//up/2020/04/COVID-19-Anxiety.pdf See more

President's Message.... Dear Valued Partner, I am writing to share an update on behalf of the Team here at Health Risk Services. As I am sure you will agree, the events of the past days and weeks have been unprecedented as we all pull together to manage this COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that you and your employees are provided with timely updates on any developments that may impact their benefits coverage. Please share any or all of this information with your employee...s. Full message and a link to our COVID-19 page for support.

From our trusted partner... Trupanion What questions do you have about COVID-19 and your pets? Join us this Friday, April 17 for a Facebook Live event led by our own Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Steve Weinrauch. Learn about all things related to COVID-19 and pets, including best practices to help your pets thrive during this challenging time.... We're giving Trupanion members the exclusive opportunity to submit questions ahead of time at members.trupanion.com. You can also submit questions live during the webinar on Friday. Hope to see you there!

From our trusted partner at Homewood Health COVID-19: How to speak to children As the COVID-19 situation continues to rapidly evolve with increasing measures from federal and provincial governments to curb the spread and risk of infection... within our personal communities, many of us are faced with extended school closures and growing inquiries from inquisitive children. As with many conversations between parents, guardians and children, there requires a balanced approach when speaking of scenarios involving the health and safety of family members, friends and others who play important roles in our lives and development. Overall, there are two key considerations; to ensure we are providing reliable, age appropriate messages and information and to ensure your children hear and recognize you as their primary source of advice and knowledge. See more

By now, Canadians are well aware they should be practising social distancing amid the new coronavirus pandemic. And there’s math behind the idea that cancelling plans, working from home and limiting interaction with others will eventually, ideally, help end the pandemic. One graphic, created by University of California San Diego assistant professor Robert A.J. Signer and art director Gary Warshaw, shows how it works.

To the frontline workers across our city YYC, our province AB and our country Thank you.

How to stay productive and motivated when working from home

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Details The Government of Canada has provided more details on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy for qualifying businesses. Here is the latest: What we know: ... How it works: 75 per cent of the first $58,700 normally earned by employees representing a benefit of up to $847 per week will be covered. ($58,700 x 75% / 52 weeks = $847 per week) The program would be in place for a 12-week period, from March 15 to June 6, 2020. The maximum an employer will receive is $847 x 12 weeks = $10,164 per employee, assuming the employee was paid at least $58,700. Read more... https://bit.ly/2RpIpmv

COVID-19 RSA Group Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Important memo regarding employees who are required to travel for work which has been deemed essential by the Canadian Government and who are covered under group Travel Insurance Due to the unique circumstances surrounding COVID-19, on an exceptional basis, coverage for emergency medical benefits will continue for all employees who are required to travel for work which has been deemed as essential by the Canadian government and who are covered under one of our Group Travel Insurance plans. For full details please read the following (see attachment Essential Workers)

On the surface the number of patients switching to a biosimilar biologic during phase two of the B.C. government’s Biosimilars Initiative, launched in May 2019, appears low; however, a closer look suggests it is too early to draw conclusions.

The importance of your sleep. You may need a boostspring ahead with day light savings...