End-of-school-year reminders you don’t want to miss
As summer approaches, it’s a good time to take a few minutes to review your benefits information. A quick check now can help prevent missed messages or coverage issues later.
Change in your work status
Changes at the end of the school year can affect your benefits. Here’s what you need to know:
- Retiring members: Benefits end at the end of the month you retire. You have 90 calendar days to submit claims. If you are under age 65, you may be eligible to convert your group life insurance to an individual policy without proof of good health, as long as you apply within 60 days after your coverage ends. Call OTIP to learn more.
- Resigning members: Coverage ends at midnight on your last day worked. You have 90 calendar days to submit claims.
- Members on layoff or recall:
- Permanent employees receive a 60-calendar day grace period at their regular member share, with the option to continue coverage afterward at 100% member share for up to an additional 22 months.
- If laid off in June, coverage continues over the summer at the regular member share, with the 60-calendar day grace period starting September 1, and the option to continue coverage afterward at 100% member share for up to an additional 22 months.
- 10month employees: Benefits continue over July and August as usual.
- Non permanent employees eligible for CUPE EWBT benefits: Coverage ends on the last day of your contract. If your contract ends in June, coverage continues over the summer but ends midnight August 31, if there is no new contract by September 1. (NOTE: This arrangement is only applicable to boards that offered benefits as part of their collective agreement prior to the CUPE EWBT implementation.)
For more details on the impact to your benefits coverage, visit the end-of-school-year reminders or call OTIP to understand your options.
Confirm coverage for over-age student dependants
If you have an over-age student dependant on your plan, OTIP requires annual confirmation that they are still enrolled in school and require coverage for the upcoming school year. If this applies to you, you’ll begin receiving reminder emails in June. Coverage for over-age dependants ends at age 26, and eligibility requirements must be met to maintain coverage.
You’ll need to confirm that your natural child, adopted child, stepchild, or foster child is still eligible for coverage. To be eligible, they must:
- be unmarried
- not work full-time
- not be eligible for insurance as a member under this or any other group policy
- be under age 21 or under age 26 if they are full time students at an accredited school, college, or university
A stepchild must live with you to be eligible. Coverage for an over age student dependant ends on their 26th birthday.
Add or update dependants
Life changes happen, and your benefits need to reflect them. You have 31 calendar days from a qualifying life event—such as marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, or loss of spousal coverage—to add a spouse or child to your plan. Adding eligible family members within this window helps avoid delays, coverage gaps, or late applicant restrictions.
Keep your contact information up to date
Your school board email address may still be set as your default email from when you first enrolled in the benefits plan. To make sure you don’t miss important updates over the summer, it’s a good idea to update your preferred email address to a personal one in your OTIP member account.
Learn more about the end-of-school-year reminders.
A simpler guide to your dental visit
A visit to the dentist can feel overwhelming—especially when benefits are part of the conversation. But a little preparation can help you avoid surprises and feel more confident about your care.
How dental fees work
Most dentists in Ontario use the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) Suggested Fee Guide as a reference, but they are not required to follow it. Fees can vary by provider and procedure. Each year, the Trust and OTIP review the guide to assess how fee changes may affect the sustainability of dental benefits.
Know you coverage before your appointment
Before you book a dental visit, review your benefits booklet.
Recall exams, scaling, fluoride treatments, and X-rays are often covered only at set intervals, such as every six or nine months. Checking what’s eligible—and when limits reset—can help you plan ahead and avoid outofpocket costs.
Request an estimate for major treatment
If you need major dental work—such as crowns, bridges, dentures, or orthodontics—ask your dentist to submit an estimate (also called a predetermination) before treatment. It will show what your plan may cover and what you may need to pay.
Tip: If a procedure costs more than $300, request an estimate. Processing can take several business days, so planning ahead matters.
Review your explanation of benefits
After your appointment, ask for a printed Explanation of Benefits (EOB). It shows the services provided, procedure codes, what your dentist charged, what your plan covered, and what you paid. Keep it for your records, since frequency or unit limits can affect future coverage.
Special considerations for orthodontics
Orthodontic treatment is often expensive and may be billed differently from other dental services. Some plans reimburse these costs over time instead of all at once. Before treatment begins, submit an estimate, confirm how reimbursement works, and check whether coordination of benefits applies.
Taking care of your smile starts with understanding your coverage. A quick review before your appointment—and an estimate when needed—can help you feel more prepared and avoid unexpected costs.
Supporting women’s health through connection
Perimenopause and menopause are natural life stages, yet many women in the education community feel unprepared and unsupported while navigating them. Women over 40 experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause represent about 25% of Canada’s population, but many still manage these changes largely on their own (MFC, 2023).
The effects can go beyond physical symptoms. Hormonal changes during perimenopause are linked to a higher risk of depression, as estrogen fluctuations affect mood regulation. Women are also nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with anxiety or depression. In education workplaces, these symptoms can affect focus, energy, and confidence—and 10% of women report leaving their jobs due to unmanaged symptoms (MFC, 2023).
Despite how common this life stage is, many women feel isolated. Research shows 46% feel unprepared, 40% feel entirely alone, and 54% still consider menopause a taboo topic (Starling Minds, 2026). This silence can make it harder to seek support or even name what’s happening.
What helps? Connection and practical support. Members of the Starling Minds community highlight the importance of shared stories, safe spaces, and feeling validated. Small daily actions—such as movement, mindfulness, balanced nutrition, and setting boundaries—can support both mental and physical wellbeing, alongside appropriate medical or hormonal care.
Check out the infographic on how community and connection can support women’s health.
Take the next step: CUPE EWBT members can access Starling Minds for trusted information, community connection, and the new Women’s Health Module focused on perimenopause and menopause. Register or log in at otipraeo.starlingminds.com.
Check out how-to videos for My Member Account
New short tutorial videos are now available to help CUPE EWBT members use My Member Account with confidence. These stepbystep videos show how to complete common tasks online—quickly and easily.
You can find the videos:
- In the Help Centre – Videos section
- On OTIP’s YouTube channel
- Within related Help Centre FAQs
- On OTIP’s social media channels
Topics include signing in to your member account, resetting your password, setting your phone PIN, and downloading your digital T4A tax slip.
(NOTE: Videos about claims or coverage are not a part of your benefits experience.)
This video library will continue to grow to help you get your answers faster and manage your information online with ease.
Have questions?
You can find all providers’ contact information on our Contact Us page.
Plan enrolment, eligibility & premiums – OTIP
Health, drug & dental – Canada Life’s dedicated CUPE EWBT representatives are there for you
Travel emergency medical assistance (Global Excel) – when you’re travelling outside Canada
Prescription drug prior authorization – FACET (Cubic Health)
Preferred pharmacy for specialty prescription drugs – MemberRx
Life and AD&D insurance coverage, claims & conversion – OTIP and CHUBB Insurance
General inquiries or trust-related issues – CUPE EWBT
Wellness programs & events – CUPE EWBT
