A Heads Up for 2024 Benefit Changes

Every year, ASEBP reviews and optimizes the benefit plans to better support covered members and employers. This year, we are giving you a heads up of the benefit plan changes (that will take effect January 1, 2024) to help you with plans that relate to your benefits. 

Changes for 2024

The following changes to the prescription medications, medical equipment, supplies, and services apply to both the ASEBP Group Plan and MyRetiree Plan. Changes to Emergency Travel, extended disability, and vision benefits are separated by Plan, as noted in the sections below.

Group Plan and MyRetiree Plan

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS 

• Sexual dysfunction medications (currently erectile dysfunction): We are renaming the category to be non-gender specific. Expand coverage to include eligible sexual dysfunction prescription medications and remove the $100 monthly maximum (the calendar year maximum of $800 will remain).  

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, and SERVICES 

• Foot orthotics and orthopedic shoes: Add repairs as an eligible expense. Calendar year and rolling two-year maximums remain unchanged (please refer to the appropriate pages on asebp.ca or myretireeplan.ca for details as amounts vary by plan option). 
• Joint injectable materials: Remove the criteria requiring materials be used solely for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The $1,000 per calendar year maximum remains. 
• Breast prostheses and bras: Add mastectomy bras with a $200 per calendar year maximum. 
• Medical braces, casts, and splints: Remove the per brace maximum and maximum of one replacement every two rolling years. Coverage for casts and splints will move to the medical braces category with a combined two-year rolling maximum of $700 per person.    
• Podiatric surgery: Remove the $50 per treatment maximum for podiatric surgery (the per treatment per day maximum stands for other podiatry services). All yearly maximums for the group plan and the MyRetiree Plan (Enhanced and Core options) remain unchanged.
• Prosthetic eyes: Increase the rolling three-year maximum for prosthetic eyes from $500 to $2,110 to better reflect current costs.
• Respiratory equipment: Increase the rolling five-year maximum for the purchase or rental of respiratory and sleep apnea equipment from $1,500 to $1,800.  
• Trusses: Add trusses (hernia belt) to the benefit for canes, crutches, walkers, and cervical collars. The individual maximum of $40 per item and combined maximum of $100 per calendar year remain unchanged.  

Group Plan 

EMERGENCY TRAVEL BENEFITS 

• Expand coverage to include Canada-wide emergencies, including medical evacuation or transportation, such as air evacuation.
• Implement a 183-day trip duration limitation with a 72-hour extension for medical reasons or delays caused by a common carrier (airplane, bus, taxi, train), traffic accident, or mechanical failure of a private vehicle. The 183 days aligns with how long Alberta residents can temporarily remain outside of Canada or their province of residence, on a per trip basis, and maintain their provincial health care.
• Implement a $5 million overall maximum per person per incident. 
• No claims are payable if a covered member goes on a trip for medical advice or treatment, or is accompanying someone else for medical advice or treatment. This includes claims unrelated to the medical advice, or treatment (i.e. massage claim while on the trip). For example, if a covered member and/or a listed dependant travel outside Canada to access advice or treatment for a heart condition (for either individual) and the covered member and/or listed dependant need emergency medical treatment due to a car accident, no claims will be covered for either person as a result of the car accident.
• Exclude coverage for all claims related to pregnancy or childbirth complications, including treatment for the newborn, if the medical emergency occurs after 32 weeks gestation (even if the departure date occurred prior to the 32-week gestation period). 
• Over-age Dependant: If you have an over-age dependant studying abroad, please visit the Updating Over-age Dependant Information on our website for information about how their emergency travel benefits may be affected.

EXTENDED DISABILITY BENEFITS 

• Nurse practitioners: Add nurse practitioners as a recognized medical care provider alongside physicians (i.e., covered members with a total disability can receive benefits if under the care of a nurse practitioner or a physician). Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have additional education and nursing experience, which enables them to diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications, and perform medical procedures. This change will help alleviate the limited access to physicians and related delays in treatment.
• Disability income offsets: Allow earnings from an employer and/or income from self-employment to reach 15 per cent of a covered member’s pre-disability income before applying an offset to the gross monthly disability benefit. This change will help remove some barriers for covered members while supporting their recovery and return to work.

MyRetiree Plan

EMERGENCY TRAVEL BENEFITS 

• Expand coverage to include Canada-wide emergencies, including medical evacuation or transportation, such as air evacuation.
• Add a 72-hour extension for medical reasons or delays caused by a common carrier (airplane, bus, taxi, train), traffic accident, or mechanical failure of a private vehicle. The 100-day trip duration limitation is maintained.
• No claims are payable if a covered member goes on a trip for medical advice or treatment, or is accompanying someone else for medical advice or treatment. This includes claims unrelated to the medical advice, or treatment (i.e. massage claim while on the trip). For example, if a covered member and/or a listed dependant travel outside Canada to access advice or treatment for a heart condition (for either individual) and the covered member and/or listed dependant need emergency medical treatment due to a car accident, no claims will be covered for either person as a result of the car accident.
• Exclude coverage for claims directly related to pregnancy or childbirth complications, including treatment for the newborn, if the medical emergency occurs after 32 weeks gestation (even if the departure date occurred prior to the 32-week gestation period).
• Over-age Dependant: If you have an over-age dependant studying abroad, please visit the Updating Over-age Dependant Information on our website for information about how their emergency travel benefits may be affected.

VISION CARE

• Vision Care Core Plan: Remove the limitation that only eye exams are eligible expenses under the Core Plan. Eligible expenses will include prescription glasses, frames, and contact lenses.

Dental Fees

ASEBP dental fees follow the Alberta Dental Association's previous year's Dental Fee Guide. By using the previous Dental Fee Guide, ASEBP protects premiums and avoids unanticipated dental fee increases throughout the calendar year. For example, for 2024, ASEBP uses the Alberta Dental Association's 2023 Dental Fee Guide.

More Reminders to Come

As we noted above, we plan to share a few more reminders with covered members and employers throughout the year. One terrific way to stay in-the-know is to follow ASEBP on Instagram, Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) to view posts about benefit updates, important deadlines, changes, and more! If you have any questions, please contact us.

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Have retirement on your mind?

Add your name to our Retirement Presentation and Seminar contact list and we will send you an invitation to our next virtual retirement seminar or presentation:

• Join us March 14, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. for a one-hour MyRetiree Plan presentation