Email from Saskatchewan Blue Cross

Having trouble with this email? Click here to view it as a webpage.

Expanding access to EFAP and Virtual Care

Effective September 1, 2025, your Extended Health Benefits will include access to a robust suite of virtual health and mental wellness supports through our Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and Virtual Care benefits, delivered in partnership with Homewood Health and Cleveland Clinic Canada. Recognizing the importance of mental health and access to care, these services are now included as a core component of our Extended Health Benefits solution.

What this means for you and your plan members

Immediate value add – 24/7/365* access to healthcare and mental health support, ensuring that members everywhere can access medical expertise, expert mental health support and life coaching without travelling.
Seamless integration – EFAP and Virtual Care will become a standard part of the Extended Health Benefits and available to access starting September 1, 2025.
Key person support – Management consultation and support for key organizational leaders like plan administrators through orientations, advice line support, formal referrals and leader-focused e-courses.

*Virtual Care by Cleveland Clinic Canada is available 24/7/365 across Canada, except in Quebec where services are available 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. excluding statutory holidays.

Important eligibility information

Plan members must have active health benefits in order to access EFAP and Virtual Care services. Where plan members may have waived Extended Health Benefits due to a spousal plan, Saskatchewan Blue Cross will allow

re-enrollment. This period will close on December 31, 2025. To re-enroll plan members, please contact groupservicecentre@sk.bluecross.ca.

Family members must be listed as a dependent on the employee’s plan to be eligible for coverage.
The termination age for EFAP and Virtual Care will be determined as per the group benefits contract.

Cleveland Clinic Canada Express Care Online

Get 24/7/365* access to virtual care from licensed Nurse Practitioners, offering prompt consultations, follow-ups and referrals with or without an appointment.

Benefits include:

Short wait times for personalized consultations and no visit limits, including follow-ups
Non-emergent medical advice and diagnoses, referrals to local specialists, prescriptions, lab/imaging requests and more
Ongoing support after your appointment, ensuring continuity of care and better health outcomes
Option to share medical records with a physician of your choosing
Integration with the Homeweb EFAP platform, providing comprehensive emotional and mental wellness support

*Virtual Care by Cleveland Clinic Canada is available 24/7/365 across Canada, except in Quebec, where services are available 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., excluding statutory holidays.

Homewood Health Employee Family Assistance Program

Through the Employee Family Assistance

Program (EFAP), members can access

comprehensive mental health and wellness support via phone, online, or in-person.

Benefits include:

Confidential, professional counselling services, provided on a short-term, solution-focused model with no limit to the number of cases in which you and your eligible dependents can receive support
Life Smart wellness coaching for issues like life balance, health concerns, finances and career changes
24/7 access to online resources and Homewood Pathfinder for interactive mental health resources
Health Risk Assessments (HRAs), child and elder care resources and locators to help members make informed health decisions
Health and wellness articles
e-Learning courses

What's next

Plan Administrator training

Join us August 13, 2025, for an in-depth look at the upcoming enhancements to your group benefits plan. We will explore how these services empower your employees and their families to take control of their mental, emotional and physical health through a combination of 24/7 virtual care and comprehensive assistance programs.

Please select one of the following webinar times on August 13:

10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Contract and booklet amendments

Will be issued directly to you via email between July 21 and August 1, 2025.

Preview of the contract amendment HERE
Employees will have access to updated booklets through their Member Portal as of September 1, 2025.

Enhanced rollout

On August 27, 2025, you will receive an email from Homewood Health, in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Canada, containing a unique access code to create accounts with Homewood Health and Cleveland Clinic Canada. It will also include important information about the program and an email template for you to share information with your plan members.

Resources

Below are the links to the plan administrator FAQ and Toolkit, which contain a welcome guide, brochures, FAQs and other support documents. Please take a moment to review the FAQs and toolkit, as they contain important information regarding the plan and key resources to utilize in the plan rollout to employees.

Access the Plan Administrator FAQs HERE
Access the EFAP and VC Plan Administrator Toolkit HERE

Questions?

If you have questions about EFAP and Virtual Care, please don’t hesitate to contact the group service centre at groupservicecentre@sk.bluecross.ca or your dedicated service representative.