Joining the Plan

To join the Public Service Health Care Plan, you must first submit a PSHCP application form to Compensation or your pension office. You can either print the application form appropriate to your employment status (see below), or you can fill out an online application form through your Compensation Web Applications, if this service is available to you. (Note: Members of the RCMP and the Canadian Forces do not have access to Compensation Web Applications.)

Depending on your situation, you will need to submit the PSHCP Employee Application Form, the PSHCP Pensioner Application Form, or the Veterans Affairs Canada Initial Application Form.

The Employee Application Form applies to:

• Eligible employees who wish to join the Plan for the first time
• Eligible employees who wish to reinstate their coverage
• Members of the Canadian Forces or RCMP who become employed in the federal public service
• Members of the Management Category who move to a position where they are no longer entitled to full employer-paid coverage

The Pensioner Application Form applies to:

• Retired public service employees who wish to apply for pensioner coverage
• Retired members of the Canadian Forces or RCMP who wish to apply for pensioner coverage
• Surviving dependants of an employee or pensioner who has died, provided the deceased was eligible to be a Plan member (see Survivor Benefits)

These two application forms can be used when you wish to amend your hospital coverage level or to add or remove a dependant (single to family coverage or vice versa). Your Compensation Web Applications can also be used to amend or cancel your coverage. Please see the section on Amending My Coverage for more information.

Once you have completed the form, send it to your departmental compensation office, Pay Centre or Pension Centre. You must receive confirmation of your eligibility for coverage under the PSHCP before completing positive enrolment with Canada Life.

Clients of Veterans Affairs Canada

PSHCP Application: Eligibility for Clients of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) (VAC630) applies to: 

• Veterans and survivors of the Veterans Affairs Canada client group who wish to apply for group health insurance coverage through the Public Service Health Care Plan who do not otherwise have access.

Do you qualify?

You can apply for the Public Service Health Care Plan through Veterans Affairs Canada if you are:

• a former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member approved for benefits under the Canadian Armed Forces Long Term Disability on or after 1 April 2006, and you are not otherwise eligible for the Public Service Health Care Plan;
• a former CAF member approved for VAC rehabilitation services due to a service-related illness or injury, and you are not otherwise eligible for the Public Service Health Care Plan
• the survivor of a CAF Veteran who died on or after 1 April 2006 from a service-related illness or injury, if you are not otherwise eligible for the Public Service Health Care Plan

How to apply:

If you are registered for My VAC Account, you can submit your application for this benefit online. If you aren’t registered, you can register now.

You can visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website to download the application form or call toll-free at 1-866-522-2122 to request that an application form be mailed to you.

Once you have been approved for PSHCP coverage, you must complete Positive Enrolment with the Plan Administrator.

For information on amendments and cancellation, please visit the FAQ Public Service Health Care Plan.