Managing Dependants

Spouse/Partner

You and your spouse/partner must be either legally married or in an adult interdependent relationship.

Children

Your child qualifies as a dependant on your coverage so long as they are:

• Registered on a parent’s provincial health care plan
• Under 21, unmarried and completely dependent on a parent—this includes adopted children, foster children (only if they qualify for income tax deductions) and wards of the court
• Under 25, unmarried and enrolled in three or more courses per semester at an educational institution (missions are not eligible) 
• Over 21, unmarried, unemployed and dependent on you by reason of mental or physical disability (please contact us to find out how to apply)

Adding Dependants

Your dependant(s) must be registered with ASEBP within 31 days of you becoming eligible for benefits or within the 31-day period after the individual becomes your dependant (e.g. through marriage or the birth or adoption of a child). If your dependant isn't registered within this 31-day period, they'll be considered as applying late. Coverage effective dates for late applicants are different depending on the benefit and special considerations may be applied for certain benefits as outlined in Applying Late.

To add or remove a dependant from your benefits, please complete a Change Application form and submit it to your employer.

If you’re an early retiree, a covered member under our MyRetiree Plan or participating in the Supplemental Package, please complete the appropriate Change Application form and submit it to us.

Dependant Consent

The Personal Information Protection Act states that minors can act on their own behalf if they understand the nature of the rights and powers the Act provides them and the consequences of exercising them. Given the nature of our business, we consider dependants who are at least 16 to be ‘knowledgeable dependants’ and require their consent in order to disclose any of their personal information, including claims, to anyone other than the primary covered member (i.e. the main insurance holder).

Dependant consent is never required when the person requesting information is the primary covered member. As the main insurance holder, the primary covered member has access to any information held by ASEBP about anyone covered under their plan.

When is Consent Needed

If you’re not the primary covered member (i.e. you’re covered as a dependant or don’t have ASEBP coverage), you may be asked to obtain consent from your child or the primary covered member before we can discuss any claims or other personal information we have on file about them. Here are the scenarios when consent is required and who it’s required from:

• When a request is made by anyone who isn’t the primary covered member and the dependant is 16 or older, the dependant’s consent is required
  • Please note that we may choose to accept consent provided by dependants under 16—these cases will be referred to ASEBP’s privacy officer for consideration
• When the dependant is 15 or younger and the requestor is covered by ASEBP but their last name is different from the dependant’s, the primary covered member’s consent is required
• When the dependant is 15 or younger and the requestor doesn’t have ASEBP benefits, the primary covered member’s consent is required

How to Provide Consent

Consent can be provided to our benefit specialists verbally (either over the phone or in person) by your child or the primary covered member or in writing through the completion of our Consent to Disclose Personal Information form.

If you feel your child (16+) isn’t capable of providing consent, this must be supported through medical or legal documentation, which you’ll need to provide to us for review.

Updating Over-age Dependant Information

If your dependant is planning to continue full-time education after they turn 21, you must update your dependant’s education status on My ASEBP at the following times:

• Thirty days before their 21st birthday in order to continue their coverage until August 31 of the current year, and
• before August 31 of every year until they’re 25 in order to continue their coverage for the upcoming school year. Note that their coverage terminates at 11:59 p.m. the night before their 25th birthday.

If you do not update your dependant’s education status, there may be a period of time where they won’t be covered, and they will be ineligible to submit claims incurred during that period.

Studying Abroad

If a dependant is living abroad and relying solely on ASEBP for their medical coverage, they run the risk of incurring ineligible medical expenses, in addition to the termination of their coverage through ASEBP (see Provincial or Territory Travel Healthcare Requirements¹ and Trip Duration Limitation² below for more details).

Non-emergent medical care (i.e., routine checkups, general diagnostic testing) is not eligible under the Emergency Travel Benefit. Presumable, routine medical care will be expected if away for an extended period. Some schools outside Canada will not accept "emergency" medical travel coverage as valid medical coverage.

It is very possible that in the event of  a medical emergency, the member may be repatriated to Canada for treatment, which could impact their ability to complete their schooling abroad. In additional, post-event routine medical follow-ups may not be covered as they may not be considered emergent.

¹Provincial or Territory Travel Healthcare Requirements

Each provincial and territory health care insurance plan has a set number of days a resident can travel outside of their province or territory and still maintain health care coverage. For instance, Alberta residents can remain outside of Canada up to 183 days without any impact to their provincial health care coverage.  

Covered members who are unsure of their provincial or territory limitations should contact the applicable health care insurance plan. Covered members must maintain their provincial or territory health care coverage to remain eligible for ASEBP benefits. 

²Trip Duration Limitation

Alberta Blue Cross offers travel top-up coverage when a member purchases a plan before leaving on a trip (while still in their province or territory of residence), provided their provincial or territory health care is in good standing. 

Removing Dependants

Your dependant’s ASEBP coverage may be cancelled if:

• Your coverage ends
• Your dependant is no longer eligible
• Your dependant passes away

If you’re an active employee, please complete a Change Application and submit it to your employer if your dependant is no longer eligible or passes away.

If you’re an early retiree, participating in the Supplemental Package or are receiving Extended Disability Benefits, please complete the appropriate Change Application form and submit it to us.