In this issue:
- The transition from Sun Life to Canada Life
- Submitting claims to Sun Life before the July 1 transition to Canada Life
- Comprehensive coverage and emergency travel benefit
- Your new Comprehensive coverage and emergency travel benefit provider
- Ensure that your positive enrolment information is up to date
- Reminder: improvements and changes to the PSHCP
- Contribution rates / relief provision
- Reminder: Relief Provision for retired members
This Bulletin was published before the transition to the new Plan Administrator, Canada Life. If you have any questions, contact the PSHCP Member Contact Centre at 1-855-415-4414 (toll-free anywhere in North America) or 1-431-489-4064 (call collect if you are outside North America).
The transition from Sun Life to Canada Life
The administration of the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) will transition from Sun Life to Canada Life on July 1, 2023. As preparations for the transition continue, Sun Life, as the current plan administrator would like to say a word of thanks and provide further transition details. Canada Life becoming the new PSHCP administrator does not impact any other public service benefit plan. All other plans keep their current plan administrator.
Thank you!
Sun Life is honoured to have served as your PSHCP administrator since 1996. Thank you for placing your trust in us for over 25 years. Our commitment to providing you support will continue after July 1, 2023, in the following ways:
- Individual Claim Statements will remain available to you for 18 months from the date of adjudication. The Sun Life PSHCP Member Services website will be decommissioned September 30, 2023. However, you will still have access to your information through the generic Sun Life website until December 31, 2024, by signing in to www.mysunlife.ca and navigating to “Benefits centre”, then to “Claims”, and selecting “my claims”.
- Sun Life Call Centre support will remain available until December 31, 2024, for website and mobile app technical issues, like User ID and password resets. To speak to a Sun Life representative, call the Call Centre at 1-888-757-7427 (toll free from anywhere in North America) or 613-247-5100 (in the National Capital Region), Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.
The entire Sun Life team would like to thank the Government of Canada for giving us the opportunity to serve you. It has been a pleasure!
Submitting claims to Sun Life before the July 1 transition to Canada Life
To ensure the prompt reimbursement of your claims prior to July 1, submit your claims to Sun Life as they are incurred. Sun Life will continue to process claims until 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30, 2023. Claims received after this time will be forwarded to Canada Life for processing. Claims can be submitted to Sun Life until June 30, 2023:
- Using your PSHCP benefit card at the pharmacy for prescription drugs and certain medical supplies;
- Electronically, through Sun Life’s Plan Member Services website (www.sunlife.ca/pshcp) or the “My Sun Life” Mobile app; or
- By mailing a paper claim to: Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, PO Box 6192, Stn CV, Montreal, QC H3C 4R2
Remember to:
- • Fully complete and sign the claim form.
- • Include original invoices and personalized receipts. Photocopies will not be processed. Note that cash receipts are not considered acceptable proof of payment.
- • Keep copies of your receipts, your completed claim form, referrals, and any other documentation provided for one year, in the event that they are needed for future audits or appeals. Originals will not be returned.
Comprehensive coverage and emergency travel benefit
The current provider for Comprehensive coverage and emergency travel assistance benefit, Allianz, will continue to provide support through their 24-hour help line and accept claims until 11:59 p.m. ET, on June 30, 2023.
From Canada or the United States:
1-800-667-2883 (toll-free)
Outside of Canada and the United States:
(001) 519-742-1342 (collect)
Allianz Global Assistance
Public Service Health Care Plan
PO Box 880
Waterloo, ON N2J 4C3
Your new Comprehensive coverage and emergency travel benefit provider
Beginning July 1, 2023, Comprehensive coverage and the emergency travel assistance benefit will be managed by Canada Life and their out-of-Canada service provider, MSH International.
MSH International can be reached at:
From Canada or the United States:
1-833-774-2700 (toll-free)
Outside of Canada and the United States:
1-365-337-7427 (collect)
Email address: assist@pshcp-msh.ca
Ensure that your positive enrolment information is up to date
By now, Canada Life should have contacted you directly to complete your positive enrolment and create your account on the new Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website. If you have not received your invitation, contact Canada Life at 1-855-415-4414.
Please complete your positive enrolment right away and keep your information up to date with both Sun Life and Canada Life until June 30, 2023, to ensure a seamless transition of your plan coverage on July 1, 2023.
- To keep your positive enrolment up to date with Sun Life, log into your Sun Life Plan Member Services account (www.sunlife.ca/pshcp) or print a positive enrolment change form and submit it to the address on the form.
- Should you have any changes to your positive enrolment information between the time you set up your account with Canada Life and July 1, 2023, visit the Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website (www.canadalife.com/pshcp), or call 1-855-415-4414.
Reminder: improvements and changes to the PSHCP
Effective July 1, 2023, changes which will modernize the PSHCP will also come into effect. These amendments are unrelated to the change in plan administrator.
- In addition to the information in your last PSHCP Bulletin #45, to assist with the transition to the new PSHCP physiotherapy benefit, after July 1, 2023, the full amount of $1,500 will be available for the remainder of 2023.
Contribution rates / relief provision
New contribution rates effective July 1, 2023
The tables below provide the Supplementary coverage monthly contribution rates for retired members. The new rates will be reflected on retired members’ June 2023 pension cheque for July 2023 coverage (because contributions are owed one month in advance).
The tables show the breakdown of the contribution rates for the Extended Health Provision (EHP) and the Hospital Provision (HP) with a total amount paid by the retired member each month.
Retired Member Monthly Contribution Rates: Supplementary Coverage
TYPE OF COVERAGE | |||
SINGLE RATE | EHP | HP | Total |
Hospital Level I | $64.44 | $0.00 | $64.44 |
Hospital Level II | $64.44 | $8.40 | $72.84 |
Hospital Level III | $64.44 | $23.22 | $87.66 |
FAMILY RATE | EHP | HP | Total |
Hospital Level I | $134.72 | $0.00 | $134.72 |
Hospital Level II | $134.72 | $12.14 | $146.86 |
Hospital Level III | $134.72 | $29.37 | $164.09 |
Retired Member Monthly Contribution Rates: Relief Provision
TYPE OF COVERAGE | |||
SINGLE RATE | EHP | HP | Total |
Hospital Level I | $32.22 | $0.00 | $32.22 |
Hospital Level II | $32.22 | $8.40 | $40.62 |
Hospital Level III | $32.22 | $23.22 | $55.44 |
FAMILY RATE | EHP | HP | Total |
Hospital Level I | $67.36 | $0.00 | $67.36 |
Hospital Level II | $67.36 | $12.14 | $79.50 |
Hospital Level III | $67.36 | $29.37 | $96.73 |
PSHCP Employer Rate effective July 1, 2023
The Government of Canada (the Employer) has an Employer Rate which is used to calculate contribution rate payments for certain employees on Leave Without Pay, and for participating separate employers. In addition, it is used by Employers to calculate the Quebec Taxable Benefit for plan members residing in that province. The PSHCP Employer Rate, effective July 1, 2023, is $133.00.
Note: The cost-sharing ratios between plan members and the Employer are not calculated based on the Employer Rate. It is a blended rate applied across the various levels of coverage and member groups.
Reminder: Relief Provision for retired members
If you joined the PSHCP as a retired member, you may be eligible for the PSHCP Relief Provision.
The Relief Provision has been extended to include members who retire between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2025. This means that if a member retires before March 31, 2025, they may be eligible for reduced contribution rates at the 25:75 (Retired member: Employer) cost-sharing ratio, provided they meet the following criteria:
- In receipt of a Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) benefit; or
- Has a net or combined net income lower than the GIS threshold.
Please refer to the PSHCP website (www.pshcp.ca/forms-and-documents) for the PSHCP Relief Provision Application Form.
The PSHCP Bulletin is produced by the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority to provide benefit and administrative information about your health care plan. If you have any questions about the content of this bulletin, please contact Sun Life at 1-888-757-7427 toll-free from anywhere in North America or 613-247-5100 in the National Capital Region. If you would like to change your mailing address for future bulletins, you may do so online at www.sunlife.ca/pshcp.