To: Compensation Managers
Directors of Personnel
Heads of Bargaining Agents
Subject: Public Service Health Care Plan Bulletin Number 11
The attached bulletin has been produced by the Public Service Health Care
Plan (PSHCP) Trust. The bulletin addresses issues of concern to PSHCP members.
In this issue |
New PSHCP booklet! |
PSHCP Trust Members |
For better claims processing |
Reminder: the PSHCP does not cover
OTCs |
The Travel Benefit & Emergency
Travel Assistance Benefit |
New PSHCP booklet!
The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) Trust is very pleased to announce
the completion of the new and updated member booklet. Copies of "Public
Service Health Care Plan - Benefits coverage and plan provisions" are being
provided to pensioners along with this Bulletin, and will be distributed to
employees at their workplace.
PSHCP Trust Members
In the last Bulletin we informed you that since April 1, 2000, the PSHCP has
been managed by a Trust. As background, you may recall that in December 1999,
the Treasury Board of Canada, the Bargaining Agents of the National Joint
Council, and the Federal Superannuates National Association (FSNA) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) setting out the long-term financial and
management framework for the PSHCP. This led to the signing of a Trust Agreement
and the formation of the Trust.
The PSHCP Trust is an independent body that operates at arms' length from the
federal government. The Trust is comprised of nine Trustees and a Chairperson
who are the fiduciaries of the PSHCP. As such, the Trustees have pledged to
protect the interests of the beneficiaries, i.e. plan members and their covered
family members.
In this issue we would like to introduce the individual Trustees - the people
who manage your Plan:
The PSHCP Trust
|
Chairperson:
Martha Hynna (independant chairperson) |
Trustees
Appointed by
Bargaining Agents |
Trustees
Appointed by the
Treasury Board of Canada |
John Gordon
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) |
Col. Linda Colwell
Department of National Defence |
Brenda Goodman
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) |
Thérèse Gervais
Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat |
Bill Krause
The Social Science Employees Association (SSEA) |
Don Dickson
Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat |
Rudy Loiselle
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) |
Dr. Marshall Moffat
Industry Canada |
Trustee
Appointed by the Federal Superannuates National Association (FSNA):
Jean-Guy Soulière |
For better claims processing...
For better claims processing the Plan Administrator, Sun Life Assurance
Company of Canada, suggests that you attach no more than 15-20
different receipts or invoices to each PSHCP claim form. Attaching a large
number of receipts to one claim form slows down claims processing and turnaround
times. If you incur frequent expenses, try submitting claims more often.
Reminder: the PSHCP does not cover Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs
This is a reminder that since April 1, 1998, the plan does not provide
reimbursement for over-the-counter drugs. An over-the-counter drug is a product
that does not legally require a prescription. Examples include but are not
limited to antihistamines, cough suppressants, gastrointestinal products,
specialized shampoos, and many pain medications.
The Travel Benefit & Emergency Travel Assistance Benefit
Are you travelling outside your home province/territory in the near future?
Are you aware that if you're a member of the PSHCP and a resident of Canada, you
and each of your covered dependants have automatic coverage under the Travel
Benefit and Emergency Travel Assistance Benefit?
The Travel Benefit covers you and your dependants for up to $100,000 (CDN)
each in eligible expenses incurred for emergency medical treatment
while travelling on vacation or business. This coverage continues for up to 40
days after departure from your province/territory of residence. Eligible
expenses under the Travel Benefit are reimbursed at 100 per cent with no annual
deductible.
The Emergency Travel Assistance Benefit, administered by World Access Canada,
provides plan members with a 24-hour "help line" for medical, legal or
other travel-related emergency assistance. Should a medical emergency
occur outside your home province/territory, if possible, you or someone on your
behalf are to contact World Access Canada immediately to ensure that you receive
appropriate medical care. World Access, whenever possible, will also arrange for
direct payments on your behalf to medical and hospital providers.
When travelling, remember to take your "Public Service Emergency Travel
Assistance" card that shows your plan Certificate/Identification Number and
the World Access Emergency Help Line telephone numbers.
If you incur medical expenses and do not contact World Access before your
treatment to arrange for advance payments, you must first submit your expenses
to your provincial/territorial health care plan for reimbursement. Once you
receive the settlement of your claim from the provincial/territorial plan, you
may then submit a claim to Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada for any balance
remaining. In these cases, the PSHCP only accepts charges for eligible expenses
that exceed the amount covered by your provincial/territorial plan.
It is important that you personally determine whether the coverage provided
under the Travel Benefit and the $100,000 per trip limit for you and each of
your covered dependants is sufficient for your circumstances. If not, you may
wish to consider purchasing additional "top-up" travel health
insurance from another plan. In addition, if you're travelling for more than 40
days you should obtain additional travel health insurance from another plan for
your entire trip.
Please note, the Travel Benefit does not cover expenses for the regular
treatment of a disease or injury that existed before departure. Emergency Travel
Assistance services are not available in certain countries affected by war,
political instability, epidemics or geographic inaccessibility. The list of
countries, as maintained by World Access Canada on behalf of the Plan
Administrator, will change according to world conditions.
The PSHCP
Bulletin is produced by the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP)
Trust
to provide you with benefit and administrative information about your
health care plan. |
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