Why is Extended Health Care Important?

What is extended health care?

Everyone in BC needs extra health coverage because our government health care plans only cover the basics, like doctor visits and hospital stays. Extended Health Care plans (or EHC as we call) can include valuable extra’s, like: prescription drugs, dental care, physiotherapy, vision and more.

Who needs extended health care coverage?

extended health care is perfect for:

• Part-time employees

• Students

• Contract workers

• Professionals

• People who are self-employed

• Retirees

The plan may include a deductible (for example: $100 annual), a coinsurance factor (for example: 70% maximum for your first year of dental services), and other maximums (for example:  $500 per calendar year for physiotherapy).  By placing these commonplace restrictions, it allows the consumer to benefit from better (cheaper) coverage, and the insurer by protecting against large claims in years 1-3.

Are there extended health care exclusions?

Pre-existing conditions will be excluded for this type of plan, so the best moment to have your coverage is when you are healthy and young, that means now! As the old life insurance slogan goes – the best time to buy health coverage is yesterday!

Do extended health care insurance plans have waiting periods?

Depending on the carrier, yes. Don’t’ forget to read the wordings to understand the waiting period applicable for Dental and Vision coverages. Some typical waiting periods can range from 3 to 6 months.

Are there different types of extended health care insurance plans:

Yes! There are three main types of extended health care plans:

• Health and Dental - Comprehensive and affordable coverage.

• Dental only - Affordable coverage when all you need is dental insurance.

• Group Conversion - Uninterrupted coverage when leaving an employer-sponsored group plan.

• Guaranteed Acceptance - Automatic approval with no medical questionnaire required (for people with pre-existing conditions)

An Alteri advisor will assist you with the best available options for your needs. Call one of us today!