HOW YOUR EMPLOYER'S BENEFITS PLAN CAN SUPPORT YOU

How your employer’s benefits plan can support you

Canadians are fortunate to have access to some of the best public healthcare services in the world. But provincial plans don’t cover all health needs. In fact, there are some important health and wellness needs that Canadians must pay for themselves.

As a result, a significant portion of health coverage in Canada is provided through private benefits plan. Employers often offer their employees extended coverage. This helps to fill some of the gaps in coverage to ensure their employees receive the care they need.

Here are some ways that an employer’s benefits plan can support you:

Travel
Travel coverage offers protection from costly medical bills when you are away from home. Having this coverage removes the need to purchase additional travel insurance.
Prescription drug coverage
Purchasing prescription drugs can become expensive very quickly, especially if you require a specialty drug. Your employer’s benefits plan can offer coverage to reduce or eliminate your out-of-pocket expenses.
Hospitalization
Extended healthcare plans offered through your employer can provide you with enhanced hospital services. This includes a semi-private hospital room or a per-day hospital allowance to cover non-medical expenses during a hospital stay.
Disability
Often benefits plans offered through employers include long and short-term disability benefits. This coverage ensures employees still have an income even when they are absent for work for extended periods of time for health reasons.
Dental
Provincial healthcare services don’t usually support trips to the dentist. Therefore, the bill at the dentist office can add up very quickly. Extended coverage through your employer can cover services such as dental examinations, fillings, oral surgery, and in some cases, orthodontic coverage.
Paramedical Services
Paramedical services can be an important part of individual health and wellness. They are typically not covered by provincial plans. Employer benefits plans can offer coverage for chiropractors, massage therapists, physiotherapists, naturopaths and more.
Life, accident and serious illness
A serious medical diagnosis can have a life-altering impact. This coverage can help equip you and your family financially to manage the significant lifestyle changes that can come with diagnosis of a serious illness. This is something our provincial healthcare plans can’t provide.

Do you really need critical illness in Canada?
Vision care
Extended healthcare coverage provided through your employer often provide vision care that includes eye exams, prescriptions lenses and frames, and contact lenses.

In short, a well-designed benefits plan contains the coverage, limits and co-pay terms that best suit an employer and their employees. They are often the most cost-effective way to ensure that you, and your family, have comprehensive health and wellness coverage.