Client health

Helping Clients access the health care and coverage they need

Sun Life is committed to being a partner for Clients throughout their health journey. That means offering insurance with appropriate coverage based on their evolving needs. It means helping them access the right care in complex health-care systems and, in some cases, providing the care via convenient digital solutions. It also means educating and empowering Clients to confidently make decisions about their health.

To meet today’s health-care challenges and improve health outcomes for Clients, Sun Life offers a wide range of products and services that support Client health and well-being. We serve individuals and families, as well as organizations that aspire to create healthier workplaces for their employees.

Our approach

In today’s world, people face increased challenges when it comes to managing their health and accessing the right care at the right time. There are complex chronic diseases that may require prevention and consistent management. Navigating the health-care system can be difficult, time-consuming and stressful, especially when dealing with a serious health condition. To support healthier lives, we are using inputs including data insights and research to innovate new products and services that help address Client needs. 

With Sun Life and our network of partners, people don’t have to go through it alone. Helping Clients access the right care, at the right time, is a top priority–and we believe it’s an important competitive differentiator. 

More people are turning to digital options to address their health concerns and connect with medical professionals virtually. Sun Life continues to invest in virtual care solutions that let Clients connect digitally with health-care professionals. 

In Canada, for example, we acquired Dialogue, Canada's premier virtual health care and wellness platform, in 2023. Dialogue provides employers and organizations with an Integrated Health Platform supporting physical health, mental health, Employee Assistance Program services and wellness strategies that their employees and dependents can access at any time. Another example is Lumino HealthTM1 Pharmacy, provided by Pillway2. Using this service, Clients can order their medication with a few clicks and have it delivered to their doorstep, all while having digital and phone access to pharmacist support and medication management tools.

In the U.S., Sun Life Health Navigator powered by PinnacleCare provides personal health advisors who help Clients navigate the health-care system the ability to access the right diagnoses, care and doctors they need. Certain members can now access this and a host of other care services and resources directly through an app.

We’re also creating opportunities for underserved groups3 to access the care and coverage they need, with the goal of helping them achieve financial security and live healthier lives. Location, income, background or work arrangement should not prevent people from accessing care. One example is dental care. Our DentaQuest business in the U.S. is connecting underserved populations with quality oral health care and promoting preventive care. In Canada, Sun Life is proud to be the administrator of the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which once fully implemented, will help make oral health care more affordable for up to nine million Canadians who previously did not have access to dental insurance.

Sun Life’s key programs and support services for Client health

General health

Canada

  • Extended health, dental and insurance benefits
  • Lumino Health Provider Search
  • Virtual Primary Care
  • Lumino Health Pharmacy
  • Sun Life Term Insurance for Diabetes
  • Diabetes Care Program
  • Respiratory Care Program
  • Educational resources on nutrition, fitness, stress management and more
  • Administration of the Canadian Dental Care Plan 

U.S.

  • Comprehensive dental, vision, disability and supplemental health insurance benefits
  • DentaQuest dental benefits design and administration
  • Access to dental care from Advantage Dental+ practices
  • DentaQuest's Preventistry®4 approach
  • Health Navigator powered by PinnacleCare
  • Clinical 360+, including access to care programs for:
    • Specialty and infusion drugs
    • Kidney and heart care management
    • Musculoskeletal conditions
    • Health Navigator care advocacy and navigation
    • Mental health resources
    • Interactive health tools
  • Whole-person care services
  • Absence management solutions

Asia

  • Critical illness, hospitalization and surgical solutions for families Brighter Health Blood Glucose Screening Programme (Malaysia)
  • eSunPro (Hong Kong)
  • Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (Hong Kong)
  • Sun Well (Hong Kong)

Mental health

Canada

  • Mental health coverage
  • Mental health toolkit for employers
  • Mental Health Coach
  • Employee and Family Assistance Program
  • Virtual mental health care (e.g. Stress Management and Well-Being provided by Dialogue)  

U.S.

  • Mental health toolkit for employers
  • Virtual mental health support for our members with cancer
  • On demand, digital wellness program for our group life insurance members

Disability

Canada

  • Faster access to specialists
  • Expedited surgeries (where permitted by law)
  • Video-based musculoskeletal assessments and treatments
  • Pharmacogenomic testing
  • Video-based mental health support (counseling and cognitive behavioural therapy, independent medical examinations)

U.S.

  • Return to work program
  • Virtual, integrative care for musculoskeletal conditions and long COVID-19

Client access to programs and support services listed above may vary.

Mental health is one of the key issues of our time. The World Health Organization estimates that one in eight people around the world live with a mental health disorder5. In Canada, half a million people miss work each week due to mental illness6. That’s why we continue to prioritize mental health for our Clients and communities. We have developed programs and partnerships focused on removing barriers to effective treatment and recovery.

In Canada, for example, our Mental Health Coach (the “Coach”) supports Group Benefits Clients’ mental health journeys. The program identifies Clients most at-risk of developing mental health problems. The Coach provides these Clients with personalized treatment options, leveraging resources already available to them in their benefits plan, and regular check-ins for ongoing care. In the U.S., we expanded our partnership with Goodpath to offer employer Clients virtual whole-person care, a new employee benefit that provides care for physical conditions and mental health, including unlimited therapy sessions. Sun Life disability Clients can proactively support their employees' mental and physical health, helping to reduce the need for absences or extended leave.

Another focus is helping people stay at work when facing an illness or injury, when appropriate. We offer accommodation, disability management and return-to-work services for Clients enrolled in Sun Life’s employer disability plans (North America).

We offer a growing suite of resources that give people the latest health insights, provide answers on health topics that matter to them and inspire healthier living. In Canada, for example, we launched the Diabetes Care Program. It's a digital program that offers a tailored plan, one-on-one support, virtual education, and diabetes-related resources. In the U.S., DentaQuest's Preventistry®4 approach promotes oral health education and preventative care. We believe this helps members improve outcomes and avoid costly dental treatments.

Drawing on our experiences in creating wellness solutions for our own employees, we share what we’ve learned with others. We do this by developing resources, such as Bright Paper reports, videos and podcasts that all employers can use to advance health in their own organizations. For example, our Women's Health Bright Paper report provides unique and actionable insights into women's health issues in the workplace to help address the existing health gap.

We continue to be a thought leader. We work with researchers and government bodies to solve issues standing in the way of every employee getting health benefits and preventive health care. We are also focusing on better understanding the risks climate change will have on our business, including on Client health and well-being. Refer to our Sustainability Report for 2024 progress highlights. 

Goal

Reach more Clients through our solutions that target the needs of an underserved group³

In progress - 29.6 million Clients reached through standalone solutions in 2024

2024 highlights

  • Enhanced health-care access and affordability for workers and families in the U.S. through the expansion of Family Leave Insurance, our partnership with Goodpath to offer virtual "whole-person" care and by enabling a broader range of employers to use our Health Navigator offering
  • Continued to support Clients in Canada who face chronic health issues such as diabetes through two new offerings, Sun Life Term Insurance for Diabetes and the Diabetes Care Program
  • Facilitated access to oral health care as the administrator of the Canadian Dental Care Plan in Canada which, since its launch on May 1, 2024, has over 3 million members enrolled and has supported 4.5 million claims/pre-authorizations (data as of December 31, 2024).

Learn more about our progress and performance in our 2024 Sustainability Report and Sustainability Performance Tables.

Our stories of impact

Helping Clients navigate the health-care journey

Finding and accessing the right health care can be a daunting task. Sun Life’s Health Navigator powered by PinnacleCare makes it easier by giving Clients one-on-one support and guidance.

More resources

1 The Lumino Health™ Provider Search helps Canadians explore and find local health-care providers and services that are right for them. These providers range from dentists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, pharmacists and psychologists to doctors and dietitians. Used under license by Simpill Health Group Inc.

2 SHG Pharmacy Inc. and SHG West Pharmacy Inc., doing business as Pillway pharmacies, are partially owned by Simpill Health Group Inc. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada has partial ownership of Simpill Health Group Inc.

3 A group of people that have been historically excluded from or deprioritized in the financial industry, including underinsured or uninsured populations. Underserved groups will differ across countries but generally include low-income individuals, the emerging middle-class in developing economies, people with chronic health issues and disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, underrepresented ethnicities, religious groups, immigrants, and those living in rural communities.

4 Preventistry is a registered trademark of DentaQuest, LLC. 

5 World Health Organization. "World mental health report: transforming mental health for all". 2022.

6 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. “Workplace mental health playbook for business leaders”. 2020.

Refer to Sustainability Data Scope.