INBOX
THE OECTA PROVINCIAL BENEFITS PLAN IS HERE Almost 1,500 eligible members in three Wave 1 units are now accessing benefits governed by the OECTA Employee Life and Health Trust (ELHT) and administered by the Ontario Teachers’ Insurance Plan (OTIP). Much preparation went in to ensure as smooth a transition as possible for Wave 1 and the vast majority of members successfully enrolled and had their first claim paid promptly. At the same time, the ELHT and OTIP have been in communication about how to apply the lessons learned from Wave 1 to Wave 2 to ensure a better experience for all members.
Wave 2 – Get ready!
Wave 2 is set to launch on February 1, 2017 and will see the largest number of Catholic teachers transition to the new provincial benefits plan. In all, approximately 28,000 eligible members from 16 school boards will transition. Wave 2 will include eligible members employed in the following boards:
will be sent to the home address you have on file with your school board. You also need to ensure that your board email address is accurate and that you have access to it. Inaccurate information will cause delays in you receiving the necessary information to ensure a smooth transition. 2. Review all the information in your welcome package carefully. Your
welcome package will be sent by OTIP to the home address on file with your board. It will include: a. Welcome letter outlining important dates and steps to complete your enrolment. b. A detailed Q&A to answer your most common questions about enrolment. c. OECTA Benefits Plan Guide booklet. The mailing of the welcome packages will begin on December 19, 2016. 3. Watch your school board email address for your enrolment instructions.
Emails will be sent beginning the week of January 9, 2017. With so many members transitioning at one time there will be a greater demand on OTIP’s customer service call centre, and although extra staff are being hired to handle the increased demand, it is best to complete your enrolment as soon as possible after receiving the invitation. If you do not receive an email with enrolment instructions by January 31, contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847.
Prepare in Advance
If you are an eligible member in a Wave 2 board, here is what you can do to ensure a successful transition for yourself come February 1. 1. Check the contact information your school board has on file for you and make sure it is up-to-date and accurate. Important material such as your
benefits card and other communications
4. Continue to submit your eligible expenses to your current plan for any claims incurred prior to February 1, 2017.
There is no need to change your approach to accessing your health and dental coverage, i.e. you do not need to “use up” all your existing benefits before January 31. Continue to access your health and dental coverage as normal. However, if you have prescription renewals to be filled around February 1, you may not want to leave those to the last
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CONTACT oectabenefits@catholicteachers.ca
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@ OECTA
| DECEMBER 2016
minute, just in case there is a delay in you completing your enrolment and receiving your new benefits card. Check directly with your current insurer or school board benefit administrator to confirm how long you have to claim eligible expenses under your current benefits plan, and submit your claims as soon as possible. Common Questions
How do I know if I am eligible? Eligible members include all full- or part-time members employed by a Catholic school board, members teaching in long-term occasional assignments, and continuing education teachers. (Daily occasional teachers are not eligible at this time.) A more detailed list of questions on eligibility can be found at catholicteachers.ca in the Members’ Area under Benefits and Leave Provisions. How is my benefits coverage changing? Your welcome package will include the OECTA Benefits Plan Guide booklet, which outlines health, dental, and life insurance coverage provided in the plan. There will be a number of exceptions for eligible members in boards where some current provision are being grandfathered into the new plan. Check with your local to see if there are any exceptions that apply to you. How is a spouse defined under the new plan? The member’s legal spouse, or the person who has, for at least one year, been continuously living with the member in a role like that of a marriage partner.
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The Provincial Benefits Plan launched on November 1, 2016!