Group Insurance Benefits Updates

Posted on Tuesday, February 6th, 2018

Academic Benefit Changes

Arising from the Academic Bargaining the following changes to benefits under the EHC Plan for Academic employees will be effective February 1, 2018:

  • Services of a Psychotherapist and Social Worker are being added
  • The annual limit for all paramedical services combined will increase to $2,000.

Visit the Extended Health Care Services page.

Support Staff Benefit Changes

The Support Staff Collective Agreement Extension included language that provided for benefit improvements that match the changes implemented under the Academic settlement. As a result, the following changes to benefits under EHC Plan for Support Staff will be effective February 1, 2018:

  • Services of a Psychotherapist and Social Worker are being added
  • The annual limit for all paramedical services combined will increase to $2,000.

In addition, effective March 1, 2018, there will be coverage for catastrophic drug expenses. Under this arrangement, the plan member will be responsible for up to $2,500 of coinsurance (their 15%) in any benefit year. Once the member has reached the $2,500 limit, the plan will reimburse 100% of eligible drug expenses.

Visit the Extended Health Care Services page.

Bill 148 Maternity/Parental Leave Extension

Effective January 1, 2018 if an employee elects to take the extended Parental leave, they would receive a reduced EI benefit amount (33% of their regular insurable earnings). The College calculates the SUB top up as if the employee is receiving the maximum EI weekly amount which would be the difference between the maximum weekly EI benefit (55%) and 93% of their earnings. This amount is then paid over the duration of the leave. The college is not to pay out more to someone who has elected to take the extended leave than they would receive over the 1-year leave.

It should be noted that if the employee chooses to end their parental leave early, there is no entitlement to a pay out of SUB payments in respect of the cancelled leave period.

Visit the Maternity & Parental Leave page.

OHIP+

This change to the provincial health plan is effective January 1, 2018.

Under OHIP+, dependent children aged 25 and under who have OHIP coverage will be covered by OHIP+. Enrollment in OHIP+ will be automatic and eligible medications will be covered at no cost. OHIP+ coverage stops on the patient’s 25th birthday. Students attending college or university in another province or territory may continue to be covered if they remain insured by OHIP and obtain their prescription medications in Ontario.