May

Insurance legislation under the Income Tax Act allows you to make payments (premium deposits) into tax-exempt life insurance policies in excess of the actual cost of insurance, up to a certain limit. The investments held in a tax-exempt policy can grow on a tax-advantaged basis (growth not subject to annual taxation).

St. John Ambulance has launched an appointment-based nonemergency transfer program that will provide door-to-door patient transfers for clients at home and in private-care facilities. The program features:
•    Appointment-based transfers that can be booked via phone or online. 
•    Stretcher transport to accommodate various needs.
•    Timely, economical service.

Currently, nonemergency patients may face wait times between 3 to 48 hours before a transfer service becomes available.

A study out of McGill University and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health shows paid maternity leave policies may help prevent infant deaths. The study reveals that for each additional month of paid maternity leave offered in low- and middle-income countries, infant mortality is reduced by 13%. This finding marks the first time that research has examined the impact of paid maternity leave on infant mortality in low- and middle-income countries.

The Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee’s (GPAC) updated Diabetes Care guideline is available at www.BCGuidelines.ca. The updated guideline describes the care objectives for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diabetes mellitus in adults who are 19 years of age or older. It focuses on the approaches and systems that are, ideally, in place to improve care for the majority of patients the majority of the time. Diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) is outside the scope of this guideline.