Preparing for the Public Service Health Care Plan transition to Canada Life

Purpose

This notice is to inform the human resources community and Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) members on the next steps in the PSHCP’s transition from Sun Life to Canada Life effective July 1, 2023.

Background

As previously announced, the Canada Life Assurance Company (Canada Life) was awarded the contract to administer the PSHCP following a competitive procurement process, which was unrelated to the new PSHCP improvements and changes that come into effect July 1, 2023. Effective July 1, 2023, Canada Life will begin processing all PSHCP claims.

Transition working groups from the Government of Canada, the Federal PSHCP Administration Authority, Sun Life and Canada Life have been working together to provide PSHCP members with a seamless transition.

Preparing for the transition to Canada Life

To ensure a seamless transition with no interruption to coverage, members are asked to keep their contact and positive enrolment information up to date with the plan’s current administrator, Sun Life until June 25, 2023.

Members with an account on the Sun Life PSHCP Member Services website are asked to sign in to review and update their positive enrolment information.

Members who do not have an account online are asked to contact the Sun Life PSHCP Contact Centre at 1-888-757-7427 (toll-free in North America), Monday to Friday from 6:30 am to 8 pm EST, to confirm their positive enrolment information. If changes or updates are required, they must submit a positive enrolment change form. Members can access the form by visiting the Sun Life PSHCP Member Services website and selecting Updating your positive enrolment information or by contacting the Sun Life PSHCP Contact Centre.

The following information cannot be updated through the positive enrolment process:

• member’s last name and date of birth
• type of coverage, including hospital provision levels

To update information that cannot be changed through the positive enrolment process, members can contact the Public Service Pay Centre or their departmental compensation services. Retired members can contact their pension office or the Government of Canada Pension Centre.

March 2023: Canada Life’s positive enrolment call to action

Before June 30, 2023, all members must also complete and maintain their positive enrolment with Canada Life to ensure no delays in processing and reimbursement of their claims starting July 1, 2023. This process is similar to the positive enrolment that members completed with Sun Life, in which they provided information on themselves and their eligible dependants. Members must also provide consent for Canada Life’s use of this personal information to process their PSHCP benefits. If a member does not complete positive enrolment by June 30, 2023, claims will not be processed by Canada Life until their positive enrolment is completed.

Starting at the end of March, Canada Life will be sending positive enrolment invitations by mail and email in a phased approach determined by a member’s month of birth. The current Sun Life plan number (55555) is changing with this transition. The positive enrolment invitation contains the member’s new plan number, determined by their month of birth or status as a member:

• January to March: 52111
• April to June: 52112
• July to September: 52113
• October to December: 52114
• Eligible surviving dependants (spouse and eligible children): 52115

Once the member receives the invitation, they should promptly complete their positive enrolment with Canada Life. Members will be asked for the following information:

• personal information
• banking information (if digital)
• dependant information (if applicable)
• coordination of benefits (if applicable)
• consent to the use of their personal information

  • Digital positive enrolment process: Canada Life is sending an email invitation to members who elected to receive electronic communications in their Sun Life PSHCP Member Services account. The email includes a link to complete positive enrolment on the Canada Life website. This link is active for 30 days, after which Canada Life will send another email with a new link.

    Once positive enrolment has been completed, members must create an account on the Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website to access their personal information, PSHCP benefit card, and as of July 1, 2023, submit online claims. Public service employees who already have an account with Canada Life for their Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP), do not need to create another account for the PSHCP. They can sign in to their existing PSDCP account using their username and password to access their PSHCP information.

  • Paper-based positive enrolment process: Canada Life is sending a positive enrolment package in the mail for members who elected to receive paper-based communications from Sun Life. The positive enrolment package contains:

    • a paper enrolment form
    • instructions on how to complete positive enrolment, including digitally, should they choose to
    • a postage-paid return addressed envelope

    Members who want to continue receiving paper-based communications can mail their completed enrolment form back to Canada Life. Once processed, members will receive a confirmation letter and a paper PSHCP benefit card.

April 2023

New PSHCP members and existing members with no or incorrect contact information on file and who have not received a positive enrolment email invitation or mail package from Canada Life by April 24, 2023, can complete their positive enrolment online by visiting the Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website and clicking on the link to complete positive enrolment. Members will need their certificate number, which can be found:

• on their current PSHCP Benefit card
• in their Sun Life Member Services account
• on an Explanation of Benefits statement from Sun Life
• in the Pay System, if currently a Government of Canada employee

If the member prefers a paper positive enrolment package, has questions or cannot complete their positive enrolment, they can contact the Canada Life PSHCP Member Contact Centre.

June 2023

All members must complete their positive enrolment with Canada Life by June 30, 2023. Any claims submitted to Canada Life after July 1, 2023, from a member who has not completed their positive enrolment will not be processed until their positive enrolment is complete.

July 1, 2023, and onward

All claims for expenses incurred on or after July 1, 2023, must be sent to Canada Life. Claims can be submitted:

• through the Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website
• by electronic transfer from their pharmacist or their registered health care provider
• by mail

Paper claim forms are available:

• on the Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website
• on the PSHCP Administration Authority website
• by contacting the Canada Life PSHCP Member Contact Centre

New: Effective July 1, 2023, in addition to pharmacists, registered health care providers can submit claims electronically on a member’s behalf. Health care providers can visit Telus Health for information on how to register.

Also, as of July 1, 2023, MSH International will be the new out-of-province and out-of-country health care provider. Members who have Supplementary coverage and are travelling outside of their province of residence and members who have Comprehensive coverage and are living outside Canada can submit claims on the MSH International online portal or by mail.

To submit out-of-province or out-of-country claims, plan members must have:

• completed positive enrolment with Canada Life
• provided consent to the release of their personal information

More information

For more information, members can:

• visit the New Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) administrator frequently asked questions web page
• visit the Canada Life PSHCP Member Services website
• contact the Canada Life PSHCP Member Contact Centre

Contact information