Ottawa Citizen- Confusion still reigns for public servants’ health plan
Amanda Kennard, a retired public servant living in South Carolina, has spent months fighting for reimbursement of her claims and attempting to contact MSH International Canada, a sub‑contractor to Canada Life.
My understanding is that Canada has a Financial Services Regulatory Authority which passed Amendment 2 (Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices Rule). Essentially, if an insurance company pre-approves treatment they are obligated to pay for it. There is no wiggle room on that.
Were I these people I’d file a civil suit and list a rather hefty punitive damage leaning heavily on violations of the UDAPR. I’d name both the insurance company (s) and the government as plaintiffs.
Since CanadaLife took over from Sunlife and MSH started handling out of country claims, it’s been a nightmare. I put in a claim in late January and still haven’t received reimbursement. You can call and call and call but nothing gets solved. You are on hold forever and if you request the call back option, no one ever calls. MSH has to have the absolute worst customer service I have ever encountered.
Meh . It is hard to feel sorry for folks who live (vacation-whatever) in Mexico who have problems collecting their medical benefits. I have worked all my life and I have no government medical benefits (but I pay for theirs- something that seems missing in this lenghty article BTW). Oh wait I can get my eyes checked. I can get physio too but have to drive miles to do so. You know, somebody might start reading the Citizen again if they stopped winging on about all the poor government workers. Perhaps some stories on the hard working canadians that create the wealth that pays for their pensions and benefits would be a good idea.
F**k them.
Canada Life – no bigger group of incompetent halfwits in the insurance benefits industry. They were horrible enough to deal with before they picked up the government business, and damn near impossible thereafter.
As a retired Canadian living in Mexico and ineligible for OHIP, I have absolutely no sympathy for a retired civil servant living in the US who can’t get her claims paid. My taxes paid her salary when she worked and now they’re supposed to pay her benefits in retirement as well? Don’t get sick!
If ex-government workers want health insurance outside Canada, buy it like I have to. Zero sympathy here. That said, the government should fire or penalize contractors of any sort that can’t do their job.
Ah yes, they are “entitled to their entitlements”.
I’m still working – 49 years now. My pension is the Canada Pension Plan. My healthcare is provided by the Province of British Columbia (i.e. No healthcare to speak of). I’m still paying income tax.
Not feeling any sympathy here. In fact I couldn’t give a sh;!.