The back-to-school season is an exciting and busy time! You may have questions about your benefits coverage as we begin a new school year. Here are some important considerations for you to review:
Review your member share for Extended Health and/or Dental Care benefits, which is based on your number of hours worked.
| Hours worked | Member share (% of benefit costs) |
|---|---|
| 15 or more hours/week | 4% |
| 10 to <15 hours/week | 50% |
| <10 hours/week | 100% |
Update your preferred email address so you won’t miss important information about your benefits coverage and plan. Not getting our messages? If you entered your personal email address as your preferred email address, please add OTIP to your contacts or safe senders list. This will ensure that our emails are sent to your inbox and not to your junk/spam folder.
Log in to My Benefits to manage your benefits coverage. Once you have logged in, you can:
- Update your coverage and determine who is covered under your plan
- Review and update your beneficiary designation for your life insurance policy, if applicable
- Set up co-ordination of benefits to submit your eligible claim(s) to your and your spouse’s benefit plans. You can be reimbursed up to 100% for eligible health and dental costs
Log in to My Claims to submit your health and dental claim(s) (1) online, (2) by mailing your completed claim form along with the original receipts, or (3) through your provider who may be able to do it electronically. Always keep your receipts in the event the insurer requires them.
Most claims can be submitted to Canada Life online or using the mobile app. You can also find claim forms on My Canada Life at Work (formerly GroupNet) by logging into OTIP’s secure member site at www.otip.com. Once logged in, select My Claims.
Update your coverage within 31 calendar days if your family status has changed or you had a recent life event (i.e. birth/adoption of a child, marriage/divorce, spouse gains/loses their benefits plan).
If you do not update your coverage within 31 calendar days, proof of good health (evidence of insurability) may be required.
Changes to your employment status
- If you have a new permanent position or a casual/temporary position that was previously eligible for benefits under your Collective Agreement, on or after September 1, you will receive an email to enrol in your group benefits plan. This email will be sent to your board email address once OTIP receives your work status information from your school board/employer. It may take a few weeks to update your information in our systems. Your benefits will be effective on the date of your eligible position.
- If you do not receive an enrolment email from OTIP within four weeks of your start date, please contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1‑866‑783‑6847.
- You will have 31 calendar days from the date you receive your email from OTIP to complete your enrolment. If you do not complete your enrolment within 31 calendar days, you will be set up with default coverage (Basic Life and Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits) for members working 15 or more hours per week. This does not include Extended Health and Dental Care coverage.
- If you have received notice that you are being laid off or declared redundant, your school board/employer will notify OTIP of your change in employment status for this school year.
- If you were laid off at the end of June or later in the summer, your 60-calendar-day grace period will begin on September 1, with the same funding that you had as an active member.
- You will receive an email from OTIP with steps to complete to ensure your coverage continues after the grace period. Coverage after the grace period is 100% member paid and available for an additional 22 months.
- If you had a reduction of hours that changes your funding level for this school year, itwill take effect on November 1.
- Your benefits will be suspended as of this date unless you confirm you wish to continue coverage.
- You will receive an email from OTIP with instructions to review the new cost of your benefits. You can choose to continue or end your coverage.
We hope that these benefit reminders will help you ensure a smooth transition back to school for you and your family. Best of luck in the upcoming school year!
Questions? You can call OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (ET).