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. For us that means offering health insurance plans with appropriate coverage. It means helping them find the right care in complex health-care systems. And it 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 provides a wide range of health and wellness solutions. 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 require prevention and consistent management. Navigating the health-care system can be difficult, time-consuming and stressful, especially when dealing with a serious medical condition. To support healthier lives, we are using Client insights to innovate new products and services that help address unmet Client needs. 

With Sun Life and our network of partners, people don’t have to go through it alone. Helping Clients get the right care, at the right time, is a top priority – and we believe it’s an important competitive differentiator. We've launched powerful platforms, such as Lumino HealthTM1 Virtual Care, Lumino HealthTM Provider Search and Lumino HealthTM Pharmacy in Canada, that help Clients 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. 

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 the U.S., Sun Life Health Navigator powered by PinnacleCare provides personal health advisors who help Clients navigate the health-care system to access the right diagnoses, care and doctors they need.

We’re also creating opportunities for underserved communities to get the care they need, with the goal of increasing health outcomes for all. 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.

 

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

  Canada

U.S.

Asia
General health
  • Extended health, dental and insurance benefits
  • Lumino Health Provider Search
  • Lumino Health Virtual Care
  • Lumino Health Pharmacy
  • Health rewards app (pilot)
  • Diabetes Signature Solutions (pilot)
  • Educational resources on nutrition, fitness, stress management and more
  • Comprehensive dental, vision, disability and supplemental health insurance benefits
  • DentaQuest dental benefits design and administration
  • Advantage Dental+ Care Practices 
  • DentaQuest's Preventistry®2 approach
  • Health Navigator powered by PinnacleCare
  • Clinical 360 program
  • Absence management solutions
  • Critical illness, hospitalization and surgical solutions for families
  • Brighter Health Blood Glucose Screening Programme (Malaysia)
  • eSunPro (Hong Kong)

Mental health

  • Mental health coverage
  • Mental health toolkit for employers
  • Mental Health Coach
  • Employee and Family Assistance Program
  • Stress Management & Well-Being
  • 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
  • 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)
  • 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 disorder3. In Canada, half a million people miss work each week due to mental illness4. The COVID-19 pandemic increased mental health challenges, leading to new cases of depression and anxiety worldwide5. Similarly, increased frequency and severity of natural disasters on individual communities and livelihoods have been correlated to a rise in mental health concerns such as post-traumatic stress disorder6.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’ve partnered with AbleTo, a leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based virtual mental health therapy and coaching solutions. AbleTo offers convenient mental health services to help Sun Life disability and critical illness Clients cope with cancer diagnoses. We've also broadened access to health services in the U.S. by enhancing our group life insurance portfolio with AbleTo Self Care+.

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. These resources include videos, articles, webinars and apps. In our retail business in Canada, for instance, we’ve partnered with a wellness provider to pilot an app that rewards Clients for taking actions towards improving their physical, mental and financial health. In the U.S., DentaQuest's Preventistry®2 approach promotes oral health education and preventative care. 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 gender 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 committed to better understanding the risks climate change has on Client health and wellness. Refer to our Sustainability Report for examples. 

Goals

Improve health and wellness outcomes for Clients

We are developing metrics related to this objective.

2023 highlights

  • Improved access to health care by introducing new virtual care services globally including Lumino HealthTM1 Pharmacy in Canada and eSunPro in Hong Kong.
  • Formed strategic partnerships to improve health supports and outcomes for Clients in the U.S.
  • Facilitating access to oral health care as the administrator of the Canadian Dental Care Plan in Canada and through new Medicaid dental benefits contracts in the U.S.

Learn more about our progress and performance in our 2023 Sustainability Report and ESG Performance Tables.

More resources

1 Used under license by Simpill Health Group Inc.

2 Preventistry is a registered trademark of DentaQuest.

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

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

5 The Lancet. “Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic”. 2021.

6 American Psychological Association. “How does climate change affect mental health?”. 2023.

Refer to Sustainability Data Scope.