Tips on Discounts and Benefits Updated February 18th, 2022
If you see any errors or outdated information please let us know at: [email protected]ensioners group.ca
Long Distance Savings
Bell is currently offering an unlimited North American long distance package for $10 per month to customers with any three of the following services: Bell TV/Internet/Home phone, or those who subscribe to the choice or complete home phone packages to be eligible. The advantage to this long distance plan is you do not have to pay the $6.95/month network access charge so for many of our members it is a significant saving over other plans. Those of you with family outside your local calling area or kids at school can fully exploit this plan by ordering the family contact card so “charges” are applied to the plan
http://www.bell.ca/Home_phone/Products/Unlimited-Canada-and-US-plan-10
Out of Country Automobile insurance
One of our members advised us that if they get the special endorsement (OPCF 27) for coverage of rental vehicles while vacationing in the US they should be aware that such coverage is only good for 30 days at a time. If you rent for longer periods one solution would be to sign rental contracts for 30 days at a time. Apparently OPCF 27 is a standard endorsement so the 30 day limit applies regardless of insurance company, providing you have this endorsement as part of your policy.
Health Care Coverage for Chronic Care facilities
The following provides the criteria and examples of facilities that are covered and examples of facilities not covered. To be eligible the facility must be a hospital. The majority of time the patient is in the chronic care wing. Below, provided to us by HQ benefits are examples of some Toronto Area facilities for which chronic care accommodation is covered
If the accommodation is in a hospital, and in the chronic care unit, the drugs are fully covered by the hospital's global budget
Below are examples of some Toronto Area facilities for which chronic care accommodation is NOT covered
Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat
The Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat website has a wealth of information on seniors issues the link is below:
http://www.seniors.gov.on.ca/en/seniorsguide/index.php
Additional resources can be found at the Ontario Seniors website:
https://www.ontario.ca/home-and-community/seniors
Government of Canada Seniors Resources
Federal government website lists Seniors resources for provincial and federal programs:
http://www.canadabenefits.gc.ca/[email protected]?geo=5&catid=11&searchallcats=52,53
Information for Seniors’:
http://www.seniors.gc.ca/eng/index.shtml
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre... Scam Types:
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit.html
NOTE: Some of the following may not apply to those retiring after January 1st 2012 or those who are on a deferred pension without benefits.
The Vision Care Reimbursement Plan
If you retired before July 2000:
The Vision Care Reimbursement Plan reimburses for eye exams and the purchase of prescription eye glasses or contact lenses to a maximum of 75$ every 24 months.
If you retired after July 2000:
Plan A does not provide for any reimbursement.
Plan B reimburses 100% of admissible vision care expenses, up to a maximum of 150$ per insured person per 24 months.
For further information contact Manulife at: 1-800-749-5953 or visit the Benefits web site at:
https://www.benefits-avantages.hroffice.com/ms/common/logon2.asp?
Cataract Operation
The Comprehensive Medical Expense Plan (CME) reimburses certain initial vision care expenses resulting from accidental injury, specific illnesses or severe eye conditions.
An example of a severe eye condition would be a CATARACT operation.
If you undergo an eye operation and you are prescribed eye glasses or contact lenses these would be reimbursed. Manulife requires a note from your ophthalmologist specifying the nature of the illness.
For more information contact Manulife at: 1-800-749-5953 or the Benefits web site at:
https://www.benefits-avantages.hroffice.com/ms/common/logon2.asp?
Hearing Aids: Your Coverage
Coverage is provided under a plan held by Bell Canada. Under the Plan Document between Bell Canada and Manulife, Manulife has agreed to provide administrative services only with respect to the benefit plan. As administrator of the plan, Manulife is obligated to follow the directive of the employer and we confirm that no exceptions can be granted for the outstanding claim.
Hearing aid coverage under the plan is very specific in that it provides for the purchase of a hearing aid and examinations for the prescription or the fitting of a hearing aid only when required as a result of an accidental bodily injury or specific illness occurring while the patient has coverage under the plan.
Surviving Spouses and BPG
Surviving spouses of BPG members may retain membership in the Bell Pensioners Group and continue to receive our newsletters as well as attend BPG meetings.
Simply Email us at [email protected] or call the BPG line at 905-695-9230 for details.
Annual Benefits at Retirement Statement
At the beginning of each year Bell forwards a summary of benefits to which you are entitled as a pensioner as well as survivor information if applicable. It also provides information about benefits and how much has been used or left for each member of the family.
We recommend that you verify the contents of your statement in order to ensure that it reflects your present situation. Please call Bell at 1-888-400-0661 for any questions or changes concerning your benefits.
Here are a few very important points to verify:
Transition benefit
Only surviving spouses of pensioners that have retired before July 2000 are entitled to receive a transition benefit.
Following your death, if your survivor is eligible to receive a transition benefit, the amount will be indicated. However, if you have not registered your spouse (through marriage) or your common law spouse, no benefit will be paid.
Health care program, Single or family coverage?
Remember that the spouse (through marriage) or common law spouse registered by the pensioner is entitled to a life time maximum reimbursement of medical expenses, but he/she must be registered with Bell as the spouse.
Maximum lifetime reimbursement for medical expenses
The amounts used and remaining for the total medical expenses you are entitled to are shown. If during the year you wish to verify the amount remaining, you can contact Manulife at 1-800-749-5953.
Termination of the Medical, Dental and Optical Care Insurances for the Surviving Spouse
Following the death of a pensioner, the surviving spouse is covered by the medical, dental and optical protection Program for a period of only 90 days after the death. The surviving spouse must also submit all claims before the end of this 90 day period.
Manulife offers a "Follow Me" insurance plan which allows the survivor to continue benefit for medical, dental and optical care insurance. For information call Manulife at 1-800-268-3763 or through the internet at:
For those who retired after July 1st, 2000, protection for the surviving spouse is maintained as long as the monthly premiums are paid.
Brand Name versus Generic Medication
For as long as a medication maintains its original patent, Manulife will reimburse you for this medication.
When a generic medication becomes available, only the cost of generic medication will be reimbursed UNLESS your physician indicates that the brand name (originally patented) medication is necessary. Obtain the procedure to follow from Manulife (1-800-749-5953) for such cases.
It is recommended that generic medication be used when they are available. This medication will be less costly, and you will avoid reimbursement problems.
You are leaving the province for over 3 months and wish to make provision of your prescriptions before you leave?
The procedure to obtain the electronic payment of your prescriptions, in pharmacy, before leaving is as follows:
PS: The renewal of prescriptions usually being valid for 1 year, make sure that the expiry date for renewals is sufficient to cover the length of your absence.
"In Touch" for Survising Spouses
When a retiree passes away, his/her name is removed from the In Touch newsletter list, since In Touch is only distributed to active retirees. However, a surviving spouse can download it via the Internet by going to:
https://intouch.bell.ca/web/intouch.html
If you want Information on your Bell Benefits
The Bell Benefits at Retirement web site offers valuable information on many areas including:
To access your personal coverage, click on the following link:
www.benefits-avantages.hroffice.com/en/
Type in your employee/retiree number in the ID number box Click on English.
Ontario Drug Plan
The Ontario Drug Plan comes into force at age 65.
What happens when I turn 65?
If you are age 65, live in Ontario and have a valid Ontario health card, you qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program. If the ministry has your correct address, we will notify you by mail about two months before you turn 65. You do not need to apply to join. Your ODB benefits will start on the first day of the month that follows your 65th birthday.
How do I claim ODB benefits?
Just take your prescription and health card to your pharmacy. Tell your pharmacist that you are now eligible for the ODB program. The pharmacist will use the government’s Health Network System to check if you qualify.
The Trillium Drug Program
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/drugs/programs/odb/opdp_trillium.aspx
What does the program cover?
The TDP helps people who have high prescription drug costs relative to their household income. It covers all drugs approved under the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program. For drug products that are not on the ist of approved ODB products, your doctor may apply for special approval through the Exceptional Access Program (EAP).
Who can apply?
You may qualify for the Trillium Drug Program if:
AND
OR
Survivor Pension
Several members have contacted us about the recalculation of their pensions following the unfortunate loss of a spouse. While we have no knowledge or access to information about individual pensions or decisions made at retirement we were able to put them in contact with employee services or where necessary escalate the matter when people felt they were not making progress. We have also had calls from people regarding the loss of a pensioner and trying to determine if they were entitled to a survivor pension. We urge our members to share the annual personal pension statement with their spouses or the executor of their estates as this document provides useful information to help at such times. You may contact Employee Services at 1-888-400-0661 or email [email protected].
From time to time we get queries about the survivor pension which we usually refer to Bell benefits. However it is worthwhile noting that once the selection of the survivor option is made at retirement it is permanent and irrevocable. So should a pensioner who elected the survivor pension option become separated, divorced, remarried or ends a common-law relationship. It is the survivor named at the time of pension application that would receive the survivor’s pension.
However since January 1st 2004 upon a judgement or separation sgreement during retirement and your former spouse waiving his/her entitlement to a survivor pension all future payments would be reinstated (increased) to the pension amount as if the survivor pension option has been waived at retirement.
Employee Discount Plan and Survivors
A member asked about the Employee Discount Plan and surviving spouses and we got the following clarification from Bell.
“The EDP for active and retired Bell employees is part of the corporate HR payroll team. We receive death notices from our benefits provider. Given that, when the surviving spouse provides details to the benefits provider, this information is transmitted to us so that we can maintain the EDP discount for the surviving spouse. The account should be changed to the name of the surviving spouse (the fee for the name change is waived), but in some instances until the estate is completed it remains in the employee name. We are able to make the connection between the two names, since embedded in the account is the employee number, and we make the relation within our HR system.”
Manulife Website
The Manulife Financial website has recently been upgraded and is a little more user friendly. You can review claim history and search claims between a range of dates as well as the type of claim. It makes it easier to look at claim history to determine when last you bought eyeglasses etc. for yourself or others if you are on a family plan.
https://wwwec7.manulife.com/GBPlanMemberUI/Login.aspx
You need your employee/retiree # and the group plan # and your password. The contract number for both Dental and Health Benefits is now 303030. You can also call their customer service representatives at 1-800-265-9977.
Submitting Vision Care Claims Online
The claim for prescription glasses can be submitted on your plan member site.
In Step 1 of the online claims,
In Step 1 of the online claim,
Then you will be directed to Step 3.
A section will be presented to allow you to Select electronic receipts/documents:
You will then be able to View or Delete each file before proceeding."
Managing your Drug Costs
Most people simply take their prescription to their usual pharmacy without much thought about the various charges assuming that they are all similar. In fact, costs vary among pharmacies and since your lifetime benefits are limited you may wish to get the best price.
The Manulife Financial website has recently been upgraded and is a little more user friendly. You can review claim history and search claims between a range of dates as well as the type of claim. It makes it easier to look at claim history to determine when last you bought eyeglasses etc. for yourself or others if you are on a family plan. It can also be helpful when you are claiming your medical expenses on your tax return. Below you will find instructions on finding the allowable expense for drugs under your Manulife Plan as well as ways of finding savings at pharmacies;
https://wwwec7.manulife.com/GBPlanMemberUI/Login.aspx
You need your employee/retiree # and the group plan # and your password. The contract number for both Dental and Health Benefits is now 303030. You can also call their customer service representatives at 1-800-265-9977.
Managing Pharmacy Costs.
On the Manulife site you can now access tools to help you manage your drug costs with 2 new features.
If on the Plan Member Mobile site, simply select:
Once there, simply follow the step by step directions to confirm drug coverage under your Group benefits plan.
The Personal Insurance – Ajusto Discount
Are you aware that The Personal offers the Ajusto system for safe low mileage users to get additional discounts. Upon sign-up they send you a device you hook up to your car which monitors how much and how you drive. You immediately save 5% for signing up. If you drive less than 15K per year you will save 10% and the rest up to 25% depend on how you drive (speeding, hard braking, and time of day etc.)
You can find out more here to determine if you may benefit from installing this device:
COMTECH – Travel Insurance in partnership with The Personal
COMTECH the credit union to which many of our members belong offers its’ members several insurance offerings among them is travel insurance through The Personal.
https://www.thepersonal.com/travel-insurance/coverage#voyage_multiple
CARP/ZOOMER Discount
NEW CFP AGREEMENT, March 2019
EXCLUSIVE OFFER FROM CARP negotiated by the Canadian Federation of Pensioners replaces the previous BPG discount. Welcome Bell Pensioners, join CARP today at your exclusive rate. As a CARP member you will be able to save everyday at Rexall and Rexall Pharma Plus stores and more.
https://secure.zoomer.ca/new/carp_bellpension
CARP is offering a free electronic membership for 2 years. You also have the option of subscribing to Zoomer magazine at $10/year.
Employee Savings Plan Records
Information about Employee Share Plan records and information:
EMPLOYEE SHARE PLAN – BCE INC.
Please be advised that AST Trust Company (Canada) only has statements from years 1991-2001. Statements prior to 1990 are no longer available.
If the contributs to the plan from January to April 2000, prior to the completion of the Nortel distribution, she would have to contact BCE 1-800-339-6353 for further details to adjust the cost of shares for the associated period.
For statements issued after 2001 please contact the plan administrator Morneau Sheppell at at 1-888-391-0005.
In order to request ESP statements, please mail in a signed letter to AST Trust Company (Canada) requesting a copy of her C2027 along with a cheque made payable to AST Trust Company (Canada) for $34.50 plus applicable tax.
This information may be submitted to any the following:
Courier: Mail:
AST Trust Company (Canada) AST Trust Company (Canada)
2001 Boul. Robert-Bourassa, Suite 1600 P.O. Box 700, Station B
Montréal, QC Montréal, QC
H3A 2A6 H3B 3K3
Should you have any other questions or require further information, please contact us by phone at 1-800-387-0825, Fax: 1-888-249-6189 or e-mail us at: [email protected]