Below is a list of our most frequently asked questions.
HEALTHCARE PLAN FAQs
What are the basic elements of our Plan?
- Basic Life Insurance of $25,000 for the employee.
- Dependant Life Insurance of $15,000 for the spouse and $10,000 for each dependant.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance of $200,000 and critical illness coverage of $10,000. - Extended Healthcare which includes prescription drugs, paramedicals, and vision. The paramedical maximums are listed in our booklet. The vision coverage is $200 every 24 months for eyeglasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery.
- Extended dental coverage for basic and major dental treatment. The basic coverage is 90% up to $1,500 per person per calendar year. The major coverage is 50% up to $1,000 per person per calendar year.
- Long-Term Disability coverage. There is a 120-day waiting period for this coverage during which time Great-West Life assesses the application. You are eligible for this coverage if Great-West Life deems that you are not able to do your current job for the first 24 months and then continue to have this coverage if Great-West Life deems that you are not able to do any job after that. It is approximately 60% of your current salary up to a maximum of $6,000 per month (therefore, it is very important to keep us up to date on any changes to your salary). Long-Term Disability coverage ends at age 65.
Does our benefit Plan cover dependants?
A dependant is covered until the age of 21 unless they are working a minimum of 30 hours per week or get married. Once they turn 21, they continue to have coverage as long as they are full-time (15 hours per week) students until the age of 25. If they are married through that time they lose their coverage through you. They have coverage for an additional six months after graduation.
Why are not all prescription drugs obtained at a pharmacy covered by our benefit Plan?
Our Plan was set up with a drug formulary. This means that the prescription drugs that are listed on the National Drug Formulary are covered at the pharmacy minus the dispensing fee. The prescription drugs that are not covered at the pharmacy are covered under the second tier of our Plan, which is mail-in rebate. This means you would have to pay for the prescription upfront and then get reimbursed by making a claim. The only prescription drugs that would not be covered would be optional drugs. If you want to know what drugs are covered on the National Drug Formulary you can find it on the Great-West Life website by logging in as a Plan member. You can also download the GroupNet Mobile app that can conveniently search for drug coverage.
Does our benefit Plan have out-of-country coverage?
Under our basic Plan, we have 100% emergency medical coverage while traveling outside of a staff member’s province of residence. This is EMERGENCY coverage only and has no maximum. When treatment for a pre-existing condition is required while travelling, that condition may not be covered. The Global Medical Assistance (GMA) card issued to staff members has phone numbers that should be used as soon as medical attention while traveling is needed.
What does our Global Insurance Cover?
Our Global Insurance “Global Medical Assistance” covers emergency care while travelling temporarily anywhere in the world. You also have protection in Canada, if your trip takes you more than 500 km from home. With this coverage you receive:
- A direct line 24 hours a day, every day to GMA to help you locate hospitals, clinics, physicians, and arrange medical evacuation if necessary.
- Medical Advisors – Qualified, licensed, physicians are available to provide consultative and advisory services as well as second opinions.
- Courtesy Assistance – Help is available to locate qualified legal advice, local interpreters, and appropriate services for replacing lost passports.
- Advance Payment to the hospital when required for admission.
- Assisting Unattended Children with travel arrangements, boarding and travel connections if you are hospitalized. Transportation expenses will be covered up to a maximum of one-way regular economy airfare per child.
- Return of Vehicle – If sickness, injury or death prevents you from driving, GMA will assist you in getting your vehicle home or to the nearest rental agency up to $1,000.
- Airfare expenses will be covered for you if you’re in a hospital and you miss prearranged and prepaid return transportation. (GMA provides either Return of Vehicle or Airfare reimbursement, but not both).
- Family Member Travel Assistance – If you are hospitalized for more than seven consecutive days and are travelling alone, GMA will cover the expense of bringing one family member to the hospital (economy airfare plus up to $1,500 in lodging expenses—no meals).
- Travelling Companion Expenses – If you are admitted to a hospital on the date you were originally scheduled to return home and have been travelling with a companion, GMA will cover transportation and accommodation by your companion as a result of your hospitalization (maximum $1,500 in lodging – no meals). GMA provides either Family Member Travel Assistance or Travelling Companion Expenses but not both.
- Transportation of Remains – In the event of death GMA will pay expenses legally required to bring the remains home. They can also help make the arrangements.
When using your Global Medical Assistance remember that hospitals will not accept your GMA card as proof of medical coverage, but will use it to call the assistance company, which then contacts Great-West to verify coverage. In the event of an emergency, call the toll-free number on the back of your GMA card and they will arrange for the assistance you need. If you do not have a card, contact Gwen Pifer at the National office (519-821-4830 x229 or by email and she will send you one. You are responsible for arranging payments for all hospital and doctor bills when you are discharged. When you return home, contact Great-West for the forms you need to submit a claim. Submit claims directly to Great-West and include your original receipts.
You must have up-to-date provincial coverage in order to qualify for Global Medical Assistance.
What happens in our benefit Plan upon retirement?
We have a retirement Plan that is available to all employees over 55 who are currently on our Plan, are working less than 20 hours per week, or are officially retired. This retirement Plan is only for health and dental, and dental care coverage can be waived. Please note that there is a lifetime limit of $15,000 of healthcare on our retirement Plan. All coverage ends at age 75.
Are any vaccines or travel drugs covered?
We currently do not cover any vaccines or travel drugs. These would be considered optional.
Do I need a prescription from a medical doctor for paramedical expense claims?
The only paramedical expense for which you need a prescription from a medical doctor is orthotics. You must include a prescription from a medical doctor in order to have this claim covered. It cannot be from a chiropractor or podiatrist.
How do I make claims?
There are two ways to make claims. The first is by mailing a claim form and the original receipt to Great-West Life for reimbursement. All claim forms are on our website.
The second is online. You must register as a user before you make claims online. To do so, just go to www.greatwestlife.com and follow the prompts for “Plan members”. You will need your Plan number and ID number which are both on your Assure Drug Card.
No matter how you make a claim, remember to keep copies of the originals. Sometimes things get lost in the mail. If you make claims online, Great-West Life will occasionally review the claim and request the original receipts.
What technology is available for our Plan?
The GroupNet Mobile app can be downloaded on your mobile phone. It gives you access to all GroupNet for Plan members information including what is left to reach your maximums for the year.
What optional elements are available through our Plan?
- Optional Life Insurance for the employee and spouse is available in units of $10,000 up to $500,000. The cost for the Optional Life Insurance is on our website at [click here]. This is based on age and automatically increases every fifth year. If you are interested in this coverage you need to fill out the “Evidence of Insurability” form and mail it to Gwen Pifer at PO Box 457, Guelph, ON N1H 6K9. This has to be signed by Gwen before it is sent to Great-West Life. You are not covered until you have been approved by Great-West Life and they may require additional information in order to make a decision.
- Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment is available for employeeS and/or their families. This is available in units of $50,000 up to $300,000. The cost can be obtained by contacting Gwen Pifer through email. The form for this coverage is on our website and can be sent to Gwen Pifer. You are automatically covered for this insurance without any waiting period or additional permission.
- Great-West Health and Wellness Site is available for all Plan members through the Great-West Life website. Log on to see the interactive features that give you reliable health information you and your family can use any time.
PENSION PLAN FAQs
What investment should I choose when enroling?
You can choose investments that are prefabricated for you based on the number of years you have until retirement. These Lifepoint allocations automatically change their portfolio every five years to a more conservative risk tolerance using fixed income to a point closest to your chosen date of retirement. However, if you would prefer to create your own, you may elect your choices utilizing the Investment Risk questionnaire enclosed in the enrolment booklet.
What happens when I terminate with the Fellowship?
You can notify Sun Life directly or inform Rob Cole at the Fellowship National office and he will inform Sun Life. They in turn will send you an information package that will outline your options of whether to move the funds intact to your own Sun Life Group Choices Locked-In Retirement Account (LIRA) or one that is provided by your investment advisor, or if your new employer provides, their Defined Contribution Pension Plan.
Can I transfer my other retirement funds and consolidate them to the Fellowship Plan?
Yes you can. Whether they are Locked-In or Non Locked-In, they will keep their designation intact in the Plan. You will not receive a tax deduction slip as they are already registered funds. The Pension, however, will not receive additional deposits from you apart from your Pension contributions that would otherwise create a deduction slip. It is your responsibility to investigate from your current investment carrier what transfer fees they charge. Please see your advisor for help or contact your company customer service representative.
How do I start receiving income from my pension funds?
As stated before, Sun Life must be notified of the date you have ended being a member of the Plan. You then transfer your funds to a Life Income Fund (LIF) and depending on what province your funds are registered in, can move up to 50% into a non-locked-in Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF). You may also use a Life Annuity to provide your retirement income. Seek which is best for you from your financial advisor.
Where can I go to access information about my Plan and any resources to assist in service of my investment and income needs?
You can monitor your portfolio and access support information and resources on line at www.sunlife.ca/member. If you do not have a personal ID number you will need to register on line to get one. Then you can have access to your account anytime. If you need help registering, you call the toll free number at 1-866-733-8613 and Sun Life will help you.