Federal retirees are expressing concerns as their dental plan transitions to Canada Life. This change follows a previous switch in health care administration that left many frustrated.
On November 1, 2024, approximately 325,000 federal retirees will see their dental coverage shift from Sun Life to Canada Life. This move is part of a broader consolidation effort, which began when Canada Life took over the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) in July 2023.
That transition was marred by issues, including long wait times for claims and denied medications, leaving many retirees anxious about the upcoming change.
Debbie Myers, a retired federal employee since 2020, voiced her apprehension. “I have some dental work coming up that has to be done. I’ve seen the history with the PSHCP and how these claims have been handled,” she said. Myers recounted a frustrating experience where it took over three months to receive reimbursement for a doctor’s visit and more than five months for a prescription claim.
Ralph Landry, another retiree with nearly four decades of service at Global Affairs Canada, shares similar worries. “Because of what we saw with the [health] plan, we’re not overly enthused about what might happen with the dental plan,” he stated.
The transition to Canada Life is part of a $514-million contract that also affects health coverage for 1.7 million federal public servants and their dependents. While current federal employees have already switched to Canada Life for dental coverage, retirees are now making the change.
In response to concerns from retirees, the National Association of Federal Retirees requested a delay in the transition originally scheduled for July 1. The delay allowed time to address member concerns about potential issues similar to those experienced during the PSHCP transition. Hélène Nadeau, vice-president of the association, expressed hope that Canada Life would be better prepared this time.
The Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) has stated it learned from past experiences and has implemented measures to ensure a smoother transition for the Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan (PDSP). They reported that in the first week of service under Canada Life, over 75,000 claims were processed with an average wait time of just seven seconds for calls.
However, some retirees remain skeptical. Landry pointed out that communication regarding the transition has been inadequate. “We received limited information with a lot of … poppycock,” he remarked.
Despite these challenges, TBS has assured members that they are taking steps to prevent claims from being denied due to incorrect plan numbers or IDs. They have also promised automatic enrollment for over 99% of dental plan members and increased staffing at call centers to handle higher volumes of inquiries.
As the November transition date approaches, many retirees are left hoping for a seamless experience with Canada Life after their previous struggles with Sun Life. The government has committed to monitoring the situation closely and addressing any issues that arise during this critical changeover.
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