A few helpful tips to get you through a postal service interruption

As concerns over a possible postal interruption continue, we wanted to offer our members some helpful tips to mitigate any impact it could have on your daily lives. 

We’re also working to make the Canada Post service disruption as painless as possible for you. While we hope the following tips will indeed be helpful, we are also exploring if and how Federal Retirees might be in a position to help with the submission of health insurance claims should a postal disruption occur and get drawn out.
 

Helpful information:

Public Service Health Care Plan and Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan

A postal interruption could delay your health and dental benefit claim payments – but we’ve worked with Treasury Board and Sun Life to put plans in place to help ensure that your health and dental claims and reimbursements continue seamlessly.
 

Electronic Claims

Whenever possible, you are encouraged to submit your claims electronically to avoid delays. You can submit your Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) claims electronically for eligible drugs and medical supplies at the pharmacy using your PSHCP benefit card. Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan(PDSP) claims can also be submitted electronically through each plan administrator’s websites. Alternatively, you can ask your dentist to submit your claim electronically.
 

Paper Claims

Temporary special arrangements will be made with Sunlife for paper claims that are typically submitted by mail. For the duration of a postal interruption, you will be able to:

•   A.    Scan and email your completed claim form for PSHCP and PDSP claims to: GC.claims@sunlife.com or GC.recl@sunlife.com 

            B.     Fax your completed claim form for PSHCP and PDSP claims to: 1-855-641-0809

            C.     Courier your completed claim forms for PSHCP and PDSP to 333 Preston St., Suite 300, Ottawa ON, K1S 5N4
 

•    Drop off your completed claim forms for PSHCP and PDSP claims to any of the following Sun Life locations.
   

Please note that these locations are not deemed Protected B and you will be leaving your claim at your own risk.

•       Hold onto your completed claim forms until postal service has resumed

 

Direct Deposit

To avoid any delays in receiving your health or dental claim reimbursement, you are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit immediately. Direct deposit is a great step for plan members because it is deemed to be a much more convenient and secure option.  

If you haven’t signed up for an online account with Sun Life, don’t worry – although Sun Life normally needs some time to send you an access code by post in order to complete your registration, if there is a postal disruption, Sun Life will work to set up plan member online access and direct deposit set up by phone. 

To sign-up for direct deposit for:

PSHCP – Log into your Sun Life Member Services website using your Access ID and Password.  

From the home page, click on 'My Claims' and under 'Take me to', click on Direct Deposit.

If you have not yet registered to the website and there is a postal disruption, contact Sun Life to set-up your account over the phone.
 

PDSP- Log into your PDSP Member Services website using your Access ID and Password. 

From the home page, click on ‘My Claims’ and under ‘Take me to’, click on Direct Deposit.

If you have not yet registered to the website and there is a postal disruption, contact Sun Life to set-up your account over the phone.
 

If you require any additional information or you believe there are extenuating circumstances in your case, please contact Sun Life.

Visit Treasury Board Canada for more information about the Public Service Dental Care Plan or Government of Canada employee disability claims. VisitTreasury Board for more.
 

Pension Cheques

If you are still receiving your pension via cheque, you are highly encouraged to contact your pension centre for direct deposit. Again, direct deposit is a great option for plan members because it is much more convenient and secure. 

If, however, you continue to wish to receive cheques, the Pension Centre has committed to couriering your cheque to prevent any delays in payment.Contact them for more details.
 

Federal Retirees Partner claims

Johnson Home & Auto Policies

Johnson’s claims line is open 24/7 and they have vowed to work with each customer’s individual circumstances to file forms and send claims reimbursement. Depending on the nature of your loss, Johnson will either courier your claims cheque or hold your cheque until the end of the mail interruption. They will work with you to help determine the best course of action.

Here are the steps they have put in place to process premiums to ensure home and/or auto policies are kept active. Customers can keep their policies active by using the following payment options:
 

• Set up automatic bank withdrawal
• Pay by credit card
• Pay through online banking
• With debit card at a Johnson branch locations for which can be found here.
   

Johnson’s Customer Care Centre to help you get started at 1.888.737.1689.

 

MEDOC Travel Health Claim

Johnson MEDOC® Travel Insurance

The most important thing to know is that, should the unexpected occur when travelling, Johnson Insurance will still be fully available to assist our customers. When it comes to processing claims or other insurance documents, they have vowed  to help minimize any disruptions caused by the interruption in postal services.  

Submit a new claim: Call Global Excel to start the claim. They can advise on how claims reimbursement will be sent—hold onto all receipts and documents in case they’re needed later:

• Global Excel at: Canada/US – 1-800-709-3420 or collect 1-819-566-1002 or email assistance@globalexcel.com
   

Since MEDOC® payments are all made through automatic bank withdrawal, there should be no disruptions in payment schedules. Banking information can be corrected or changed by calling 1.866.606.3362 for assistance.

Refund cheques and other documentation are currently being held, but customers are welcome to call Johnson if there is something they need.

For MEDOC® claims questions, please call 1-800-709-3420
 

Monthly Bills:

Epost is a free and secure digital mailbox from Canada Post. Enjoy all-in-one-place convenience for bills and statements like cable, phone, utilities, credit cards, property taxes and more with a single log in. Store your bills and statements electronically for up to seven years. View them any time, from anywhere, online.

How it works:

1.Log in or create an account

2. Add Bills and Statements

3. Manage your mail with epost (https://www.epost.ca/service/landingPage.a)
 

Other relevant information:

Some benefit cheques will be mailed despite looming Canada Post strike

 

The National Association of Federal Retirees will have a web page devoted to this issue here. You can check back regularly or provide your email here to get important updates on this issue and others that are of interest to our members.