Vision
The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) offers Vision Care benefits to you—and your spouse and other dependants, if you have family coverage—for a variety of products and services designed to help you maintain healthy eyesight. In order to qualify for coverage, products or services must be prescribed or provided by:
- registered ophthalmologist,
- registered optometrist, or
- registered optician.
You can find your plan details under Coverage on My ASEBP or on your ASEBP ID card on the My ASEBP Mobile App under Vision Care.
Note that the following is a comprehensive summary of the official, legally binding ASEBP insurance policies and plan documents, which are available through your employer or by contacting us.
What's covered?
Our Vision Care benefits provide coverage for a variety of products and services such as eye exams, prescription eyeglass lenses and frames, prescription contact lenses, contact lens fitting fees, prescription sunglasses, prescription safety glasses, corrective eye surgery and lens implants.
All Vision Care plan maximums are based on a rolling two-year period from the service date (the date you received the treatment, service or product being claimed, not the date it was paid for).
If your Vision Care claim is the result of an accident that impaired your vision, you may be eligible for reimbursement under your Accidental Death & Dismemberment benefits.
| Plan 2 | Plan 3 |
|---|---|
| $300 every rolling two years per person | $400 every rolling two years per person |
If you signed a Retirement Incentive for Teachers and Employees (RITE) agreement prior to January 1, 2019, and are enrolled in Vision Plan 1, please see Vision Benefits for RITE Members for details.
Resources
What's not covered?
The following are a number of products and/or services not covered under the plan. Note that this list is not exhaustive.
- Expenses covered through a government program, whether or not you or your dependants choose to participate in the program
- Eye exams for children up to 19 and seniors over 65 (these exams are covered through the provincial health care insurance plan as an Alberta resident)
- Extra billing charges or charges for missed appointments
- Artificial eyes
- Non-prescription sunglasses, non-prescription glasses and non-corrective lenses (e.g. frames for fashion purposes)
- Non-prescription safety glasses, lens hardening or similar treatments
- Services and products for cosmetic purposes (e.g. blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid lift surgery)
- Shipping charges or duty, when vision supplies are purchased outside of Canada
- Where treatment is experimental, educational or for the purpose of research
- Treatment and/or supplies provided free of charge (e.g. if an optometrist bills for an eye exam, ASEBP pays a portion and you or your dependant pay the remaining amount. If the optometrist does not require you or your dependant to pay your portion, ASEBP will not pay either.)
- Charges for products or services that are prohibited under legislation
- Services you perform on yourself
- Expenses incurred while on active duty in any military or peacekeeping force
- All expenses incurred as a result of conduct that would constitute an indictable offence within Canada
Additional Information
Rolling Period
Your plan maximums for Vision Care are based on a rolling two-year period by service date (the date you received the treatment, service or product being claimed—not the date it was paid for)—not calendar year. (E.g. if you make a vision claim for $100 on May 15, 2017, that $100 will be added back to your vision coverage balance on May 15, 2019.)
You can easily track your expenses and view your usage summary on My ASEBP or the My ASEBP Mobile App.
Claiming Period
Claims must be received by ASEBP within 18 months of the date the expense is incurred. Claims for expenses that are more than 18 months old will not be paid.
Non-Emergency Goods and Services Outside Canada
Eligible Vision Care products and services are covered if service providers have the proper qualifications for eligible services, no matter where they are located.
Vision Benefits for RITE Members
Vision Plan 1 is only available if you signed a RITE agreement prior to January 1, 2019.
Vision Plan 1 provides $150 of coverage on a rolling two-year period per covered person. All other items listed under What's covered? and What's not covered? above apply to this plan as well.