- Enrollment Questions
- Health Spending Account (HSA)
- Claim Submission
- Prescription Drugs
- Travel Coverage
- Appeal Questions
- Other Questions
- You retire, or
- Coverage terminates under a spouse’s group plan, or
- Coverage terminates under any other group plan.
- Termination of coverage under any group plan.
- Date of marriage.
- One-year common law date.
If a request is made to add a spouse after 60 days, he/she is considered a late applicant and must submit evidence of good health.
Spouse means the person who is legally married to the Member, or has continuously resided with the Member for not less than one full year having been living in a conjugal relationship. A Spouse shall also mean a person who is in a civil union with the Member as defined by the Civil Code of Quebec.
Dependent children are eligible for benefits if they are:
• dependent upon the Member for financial care and support, and
• not legally married or in a common-law relationship that is one full year or more in duration, and
• less than 21 years of age; or, if 21 years of age but less than 26 years of age, they must be attending an accredited educational institution, college or university on a fulltime basis.
Unmarried children over 21 years of age who are physically or mentally infirm may be covered beyond the limited age. Please contact the STS Office for more information.
A Health Spending Account is a group benefit that can provide reimbursement for a wide range of health-related expenses, over and above a regular benefit plan. You can claim any item or service allowed under the Income Tax Act of Canada as a medical expense. The STS Health Spending Account is available for Extended Health and Dental Plan members for the time period between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2023.
Our contracts with Saskatchewan Blue Cross are typically for a three-year period usually generating a surplus in the first year, breaking even the second year and experiencing a deficit in the third year. The surplus from the first year is used to pay the deficit of the third year. The unprecedented situation with COVID-19 has resulted in larger surpluses than expected and so these surpluses will be used to pay the costs of the Health Spending Account.
Any Extended Health and Dental Plan Member (Primary Plan Holder) who is enrolled and active (does not have their coverage suspended) as of July 1, 2021, will be eligible for the HSA.
No. Individuals who are members of either the Extended Health Plan or Dental Plan, or both Plans will be allocated $250 into their Health Spending Account.
Anyone covered by the Plan member (defined as a dependent) is eligible to use the Plan member’s allocation of $250. However, those dependents do not each receive an allocation of $250.
No. The unanticipated surplus that was experienced is seen as a one-time event and therefore this creation and allocation of money to a Health Spending Account is also seen as a one-time event. The Health Spending Account will be terminated on June 30, 2023.
Yes. We have worked closely with Saskatchewan Blue Cross to ensure the utilization you choose for the Health Spending Account is as simple as possible. Saskatchewan Blue Cross has also provided a one-page summary of the Health Spending Account that can be found here.
The HSA allocation can be used for any medical expense that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) deems as an allowable medical expense for income tax purposes. The listing of allowable medical expenses is lengthy and includes items not currently covered by the Extended Health and Dental Plan. The full list can be found on the CRA website that can be found here.
Refunding money paid as a premium for an Extended Health and Dental Plan can have implications on members’ income tax returns. However, premiums paid to a Health or Dental Plan are eligible for reimbursement from the Health Spending Account. If members prefer to receive the money instead of utilizing the HSA for health-related services, they can do that by submitting a claim to Saskatchewan Blue Cross for premium costs and receive reimbursement from their $250 HSA allocation.
When you submit a claim for your HSA to Saskatchewan Blue Cross, follow the same procedure you typically do when making Extended Health and Dental Plan Claims. On the form however, please clearly indicate that you want the claim to come from your Health Spending Account $250 allocation.
Claims must be submitted in the contract year in which they were paid for. In other words, claims for expenses incurred between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, must be received by Saskatchewan Blue Cross prior to August 31, 2022. Similarly, claims for expenses incurred between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, must be received by Saskatchewan Blue Cross prior to August 31, 2023. The Health Spending Account will be terminated on June 30, 2023, so claims must be for expenses incurred prior to that date.
Health Spending Account funds remaining as of June 30, 2022, will be carried into the next contract year to be utilized between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.
Expenses incurred during periods where coverage is suspended are not eligible for reimbursement. However, the remaining allocation to the HSA will be carried forward and available for you to utilize when you reinstate coverage, provided it is before the HSA terminates on June 30, 2023.
If you move to another province your Plan coverage is transferred from a Regional policy to a National policy. Any expenses incurred before you move must be submitted to the Regional policy prior to your move. Your remaining allocation to the HSA will be available within your National policy to pay eligible medical expenses incurred after your move.
If you are in the process of medical underwriting that extends beyond the eligibility date of July 1, 2021, you will be eligible for the HSA provided your coverage becomes effective on, or prior to, July 1, 2021.
If you are in the situation where you are not currently the Primary Plan Holder, your spouse passes away and you choose to continue coverage by becoming the Primary Plan Holder, the $250 allocation made the Primary Plan Holder will not be available for expenses incurred after the date of death.
Emergency travel coverage is designed for sudden and unforeseen medical emergencies while travelling away from your home province. If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition or are working with a doctor to explore a current health condition, the condition must be considered stable if any travel is planned.
To be considered stable, a condition must not have required new medical investigation, diagnosis, treatment or hospitalization in the three months immediately preceding the departure date. Routine checkups with no change in medication or treatment are not considered medical investigation, diagnosis or treatment.
- Within 3 months from the date of the initial claim decision, submit a written request outlining the basis for your appeal to the attention of Manager, Health and Dental Claims at Saskatchewan Blue Cross (516 2nd Avenue N Saskatoon SK S7K 2C5). This request should include any additional documentation in support of your claim that you would like considered. A written decision and explanation will be provided to you, in most cases within 30 days from the receipt of your appeal.
- If you are still not satisfied with the claim decision, you may request a second and final level of appeal by submitting a written request to the attention of VP, Customer Service at Saskatchewan Blue Cross (516 2nd Avenue N Saskatoon SK S7K 2C5). Please include any additional documentation in support of your claim that you would like considered. This subsequent appeal, along with any additional documentation, must be received within 3 months from the date of the initial appealed decision. A written decision and explanation will be provided to you, in most cases within 30 days from the receipt of your appeal.
- If you are still not satisfied with the claim decision, you may contact the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI) who provide independent assistance to consumers at no cost to you. Additional information about OLHI can be found on their web site www.olhi.ca or by calling them directly at 1-888-295-8112.