Ontario Blue Cross® adds free EQ Care virtual health care services to individual health insurance coverage for clients

TORONTO, June 11, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - As a result of a new partnership agreement with EQ Care, Ontario Blue Cross^® is among the first insurance providers to offer virtual health care services to clients holding individual health insurance policies.

The health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted more than ever the need to facilitate access to health professionals, which this new service provides. Most of Ontario Blue Cross^® clients holding health care and disability benefits will be eligible to access a variety of health services from a mobile device or a computer. No matter where they are in Canada, they will have access to doctors and health specialists and, among other things, obtain recommendations, receive mental health support, renew prescriptions or obtain advice relating to a chronic illness. Services are offered in both official languages and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This initiative is part of the mission of Ontario Blue Cross^® to be a trusted partner in the health and wellness of its clients and reflects the organization's desire to consistently offer innovative services that stand out in the market. "In a world where access to health care is an undeniable challenge, we believe that virtual health care is essential to maintaining an unparalleled level of support for our clients. We are particularly proud to be one of the first individual health insurance providers to offer this service free of charge to our clients," explained Sylvain Charbonneau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ontario Blue Cross^®. "We sincerely hope that this service will encourage our clients to find the support they need to maintain their wellness, while staying safe."

A partnership based on a tradition of common excellence

EQ Care's approach combines the use of innovative and secure technology with the good judgment and empathy of a multidisciplinary team of experts to optimize the patient experience. At all times, its dedicated professionals and administrators strive to provide services based on active listening and compassion. The culture of the organization is also centred on the development of national networks to allow patients to communicate quickly with doctors, health professionals and mental health specialists, and thus contribute to unclogging the public health system, which is becoming increasingly overloaded.

"The EQ Care team is proud to be associated with an institution that has been rooted in health care for almost 80 years. In this period of great need, Ontario Blue Cross^® clients can expect exemplary health care, in accordance with the rigorous standards of quality established by the organization, as well as our own commitment to offering health solutions that are reliable, professional and compassionate," said Daniel Martz, President and CEO of EQ Care.

About Ontario Blue Cross^®

Serving the public for almost 80 years, the Ontario Blue Cross^® name is synonymous with quality and accessibility in individual health and travel insurance. A member of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross^® Plans, the organization helped lay the foundations for health insurance in Ontario and remains the benchmark in individual insurance, thanks to products and services adapted to the constantly changing needs of its clients. A partner of its communities, Ontario Blue Cross^® is also committed to investing its resources in the interests of the communities it serves to make wellness accessible to as many people as possible.

About EQ Care

EQ Care offers patients bilingual online access, nationally, at all times. Their team specializing in mental health and health care, offers comprehensive and personalized treatment options from any device connected to the Internet. The EQ Care mission is to remain at the forefront of patient care and to ensure that its patients receive the highest quality service possible, thanks to their exclusive virtual health technology platform. A leader in the Canadian virtual care market with over 30 years of experience in the health sector, holding ISO 9001: 2015 certification and having managed more than 500,000 virtual medical consultations to date, EQ Care continues to innovate in order to offer patients cutting-edge mobile approaches and tools.

Related links: on.bluecross.ca

SOURCE Ontario Blue Cross

Information (for media only, no access to client files): Josiane Cousineau, [email protected] 647-345-4299 or 1 888-279-4584