Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association
79 Wellington Street West, Suite 2300, PO Box 99, TD South Tower M5K1G8 Toronto, ON, Canada

Millions of Canadians rely on their insurance benefits to pay for #healthcare from physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, optometrists, dietitians, pharmacists, dental hygienists and speech therapists. This new guide helps these practitioners help their patients with information about health insurance benefits and coverage. https://www.clhia.ca//SUPPLEMENTARY+HEALTH+INSURANCE+EXPLA

Travel insurers confirm individual health insurance coverage for commercial truckers News Release (Toronto, March 25, 2020) Canada’s life and health insurers are confirming that commercial truckers who hold travel health insurance policies on an individual basis will not lose coverage when entering the United States.... Measures announced today will allow insurers to take steps so that routine exclusion clauses tied to a Government of Canada Avoid non-essential travel advisory will not apply to those employed as commercial truckers. Insurers have been working to take steps to confirm continued coverage for truckers who contribute to the cross-border supply chain whose coverage may have been affected by the federal restriction on non-essential travel to the US. Last week, life and health insurers clarified that out-of-country medical coverage would continue uninterrupted for commercial truckers covered by workplace, or group insurance policies. The situation has been less clear for truckers holding individual insurance as the insurers generally do not classify individual travel health policies by employment category. As a solution, insurers will be asking those with individual coverage to identify themselves as a cross-border commercial trucker at time of claim. Those purchasing new policies will similarly be asked to identify their trade at time of purchase. These changes will apply to all individual out-of-country travel insurance policies containing the specific exclusion for Avoid non-essential travel federal travel advisories. Those holding policies with a pandemic exclusion should contact their insurance provider for additional details. About the CLHIA The CLHIA is a voluntary association whose member companies account for 99 per cent of Canada's life and health insurance business. The industry provides a wide range of financial security products such as life insurance, annuities (including RRSPs, RRIFs and pensions) and supplementary health insurance to almost 29 million Canadians. It also holds over $850 billion in assets in Canada and employs more than 156,000 Canadians. For more information: Kevin Dorse Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (613) 691-6001 / [email protected] #COVD19

Urgent notice for Canadians currently in the USA and abroad The Government of Canada is strongly urging all Canadians to return home immediately. This is an unprecedented order to protect your health. Choosing to remain outside Canada will result in changes or complications for your health insurance coverage, including:... - You may lose coverage for COVID-19 and other conditions - It will become very difficult for insurers to transport you to your home province in the event of a medical emergency Canada's health insurers and the Government of Canada are urging you to take immediate measures to return to Canada while flights are still available. The Government of Canada is providing financial assistance for travel arrangements. Some airlines are also offering free services in support of the Government of Canada’s travel advisory to return home immediately. Please contact Canada's consular officials for urgent travel assistance: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates If you need your insurer's contact information, visit https://www.olhi.ca/for-insurers/member-list/ Insurers' call centres are dealing with a very high call volume as they help their customers get home quickly. Please be patient. ////// Avis urgent à l’intention des Canadiens actuellement aux États-Unis ou à l’étranger Le gouvernement du Canada exhorte tous les Canadiens à rentrer au pays immédiatement. Il s’agit d’un ordre sans précédent pour protéger votre santé. La décision de demeurer à l’étranger aura des conséquences sur votre couverture d’assurance maladie et entraînera des complications. Par exemple : - Il est possible que la COVID-19 et d’autres maladies ne soient pas couvertes - Il deviendra très difficile pour les assureurs de vous ramener dans votre province en cas d’urgence médicale Les assureurs de personnes et le gouvernement du Canada vous conseillent vivement de prendre immédiatement des mesures pour rentrer au pays, pendant que des vols sont encore disponibles. Le gouvernement du Canada fournit une aide financière pour la réservation de vols. Certaines compagnies aériennes offrent également des services gratuits à l’appui de la demande du gouvernement du Canada de rentrer immédiatement au pays. Veuillez contacter les agents consulaires du Canada pour une assistance voyage d’urgence : https://voyage.gc.ca/assistance/ambassades-consulats Si vous avez besoin des coordonnées de votre assureur, consultez : https://www.oapcanada.ca/pour-assureur/liste-des-membres/ Les centres d’appels des assureurs reçoivent en ce moment un volume d’appels très élevé de clients qui ont besoin d’aide pour rentrer au pays rapidement. Soyez patients.

Insurers confirm continued out-of-country health insurance coverage for commercial trucking industry News Release (Toronto, March 19, 2020) Canada’s life and health insurers are confirming that group out-of-country medical coverage for commercial truckers will continue uninterrupted.... Concerns had arisen since the Government of Canada’s recent advisory that all Canadians avoid non-essential travel. Provisions in some group, or workplace insurance plans refer specifically to Government of Canada travel advisories as a limitation or exclusion for out-of-country medical coverage. Some commercial trucking employers offer plans with this exclusion. Today, after hearing from its members, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association has confirmed that commercial truckers with group insurance coverage will continue to have coverage for emergency out-of-country medical expenses as they bring goods across the US-Canada border. With restrictions to non-essential travel beginning in the coming days, Canada's insurers want to be clear that commercial truckers will not lose their group out-of-country medical coverage due to recent travel restrictions, Stephen Frank President and CEO of CLHIA said. The commercial trucking industry is providing crucial services to support Canadians with goods at all times, but particularly now. Insurers strongly encourage employers and employees to review their group insurance plan contracts, and contact their human resources staff or insurer directly if they need more information or advice. About the CLHIA The CLHIA is a voluntary association whose member companies account for 99 per cent of Canada's life and health insurance business. The industry provides a wide range of financial security products such as life insurance, annuities (including RRSPs, RRIFs and pensions) and supplementary health insurance to almost 29 million Canadians. It also holds over $850 billion in assets in Canada and employs more than 156,000 Canadians. For more information: Kevin Dorse Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (613) 691-6001 / [email protected] #commercialtrucking #groupinsurance #medicalcare #groupbenefits #covid19 #covid19canada

Advisory: Travel insurers prioritizing calls of those abroad needing immediate assistance News Release (Toronto, March 17, 2020) Canada’s travel insurers are asking for the public’s help to prioritize those who need assistance immediately.... Travel insurers are receiving an unprecedented number of calls. The industry is working to respond to everyone as quickly as possible, while prioritizing calls from people abroad who need to get home, or who need assistance with a health emergency. We are asking that you please do not contact your travel insurer's call centre at this time, unless: - You are currently outside of Canada and in need of travel medical assistance - You are currently outside of Canada and in need of travel assistance - You need travel cancellation assistance for a travel that was to happen within a short period of today (e.g. within 7-14 days) If you need to cancel a trip, please start by contacting your travel vendor (e.g. airline, travel agency, etc.). You should only submit your claim to your travel insurer within a short period (7 to 14 days) of your original departure date. Please be patient. Everyone’s claim will be processed. Please check your insurers’ website as some have on-line claim portals and FAQs to assist you, We thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding. If you are abroad and in need of immediate travel or medical assistance from your insurer, you can find their contact information at http://www.olhi.ca/for-insurers/member-list/ If you need more information about COVID-19 and public health, visit https://www.canada.ca/COVID19 About the CLHIA The CLHIA is a voluntary association whose member companies account for 99 per cent of Canada's life and health insurance business. The industry provides a wide range of financial security products such as life insurance, annuities (including RRSPs, RRIFs and pensions) and supplementary health insurance to almost 29 million Canadians. It also holds over $850 billion in assets in Canada and employs more than 156,000 Canadians. For more information: Kevin Dorse Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (613) 691-6001 / [email protected] #COVID19 #travelinsurance

Check out our new campaign to learn more about our industry and the right prescription for #pharmacare at http://betterhealthbenefits.ca