Marsh Canada Introduces A Private Health Care Treatment Program

    Program Gives Employers Flexibility In Offering Coverage

    TORONTO, Oct. 22 /CNW/ - Marsh Canada Limited today announced it has
introduced an insured critical illness treatment program that can provide
participants with prompt access to U.S.-based private health care treatment
facilities.
    The new program, also known as Global Preferred Care, gives Canadian
employers a great deal of flexibility in design and structure. Individuals
enrolled in the program have access to treatment for conditions such as
cancer, heart procedures, and other serious illnesses at the top one percent
of hospitals in the United States.
    Canadian employers, their senior executives, as well as other employees,
members of associations, affinity groups, individuals, and their families can
be covered under the program. The program can be structured as an employer
paid benefit or on a voluntary employee paid basis. Under each of these
arrangements, the program covers costs associated with diagnostic
verification, transportation, accommodation, and treatment at medical centers
of excellence in the United States.
    Canadian companies are faced with two seemingly unrelated problems: a
competitive business environment for attracting/retaining talent and a public
health care system pushed to capacity. The Fraser Institute's October 2008
report "Waiting Your Turn" indicated that the average wait time for medically
necessary treatment in Canada is 8.7 weeks.
    "Most critical illness insurance programs offered in Canada are a
financial solution to a medical problem. They fail to address the reality of
long line-ups for treatment within the public health care system. This program
is a medical solution to a medical problem-focused on prompt treatment by
leading surgical teams in the United States," said Steve Fretwell of Marsh's
Private Client Services Practice in Toronto.
    The program offers a number of significant benefits to provide
accessibility, ease administration, and facilitate utilization, including:-   A group health insurance product with minimal medical underwriting.
    -   A 24/7 global call centre providing personal assistance in gathering
        all necessary medical information to confirm the presence of the
        disease.
    -   A personal care manager who is an expert in critical illness to
        assist at every step.
    -   Coordination of the medical team and process including local doctors
        and specialists at the top one percent of U.S. hospitals.
    -   Prompt treatment at U.S. centers of medical excellence. No waiting
        lists, no line-ups.
    -   Logistics coordination, transportation, and accommodation arranged
        for two from any location in the world which includes scheduling of
        all tests and appointments.
    -   Quality control with close supervision at every step of the treatment
        plan.
    -   A high-level of communication from start to finish via personal
        assistance in understanding recommended treatments and implications.
    -   Direct payment of all expenses resulting in no out-of-pocket costs
        for the patient or the company.
    -   Continuing coverage after a claim has been made.

    The Private Health Care Treatment Program is available in the following
ways:

    -   Employer-paid benefit. Canadian employers may offer the program as a
        fully- or partially-paid employee benefit, which can help
        differentiate an employee benefit program and strengthen recruitment
        and retention efforts.

    -   Voluntary benefit. Employers may offer the program to employees on a
        voluntary basis, giving employees the option to purchase the program
        for themselves and their families through payroll deduction.

    -   Director Lifeline(SM) - Combined directors and officers liability
        insurance and private healthcare treatment plan. Designed for
        directors and officers of Canada's public corporations, this
        arrangement combines comprehensive directors and officers liability
        (D&O) protection with the insured private health care treatment
        program. This unique plan is available only at Marsh, underwritten by
        XN Risk and insured through certain underwriters at Lloyd's of London
        (currently rated A+ (Strong) by Standard & Poor's).

    -   Association/Affinity Member Benefit. Associations and affinity plans
        may choose to make the program available to their members, who enrol
        directly through Marsh.

    -   Individuals may also obtain the program directly from Marsh for
        themselves and their family members.Additional information on the Private Health Care Treatment Program is
available by contacting Steve Fretwell, CLU, at [phone] or
[e-mail].

    About Marsh

    Marsh, the world's leading insurance broker and risk advisor, has 26,000
employees and provides advice and transactional capabilities to clients in
more than 100 countries. Marsh is a unit of Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC),
a global professional services firm with more than 55,000 employees and annual
revenue exceeding $11 billion. MMC also is the parent company of 
Guy Carpenter, the risk and reinsurance specialist; Mercer, the provider of HR
and related financial advice and services; Oliver Wyman, the management
consultancy; and Kroll, the risk consulting firm. MMC's stock (ticker symbol:
MMC) is listed on the New York, Chicago and London stock exchanges. MMC's Web
Site is www.mmc.com. Marsh's Web sites are www.marsh.ca and www.marsh.com.

For further information: Steve Fretwell, [phone],
[e-mail]