A message from the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees: December 14, 2023

Celebrate the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees’ accomplishments for 2023

The Municipal Retiree Benefit Board of Trustees is celebrating what we accomplished in 2023. It was a busy and successful year for the board. We achieved several goals, including:

Completing the trust's first valuation, which showed the trust has enough funding for 31.3 years at current benefit and subsidy levels
Publishing the trust's first annual report, available now online

The cost of providing benefits is increasing

The cost of providing the group benefits program continues to increase. Many factors are at play, including inflation and higher usage of the program. More than 90,000 members and beneficiaries depend on coverage through the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust (MRBT).

We take pride in offering extended health and dental coverage that contributes to your day-to-day health and wellness. Our goal is to manage the trust prudently so it can continue to provide group benefit access to members in the face of these increasing costs. As a board, we work to ensure affordable coverage, while balancing costs with the needs of the majority of members and beneficiaries.

Protecting that affordability and meeting our fiduciary duties as a board means we must exclude certain things from coverage. This includes travel insurance. You can choose to buy separate travel coverage from Pacific Blue Cross at an additional cost.

Mental health coverage has expanded to include clinical counsellors

We know how important mental health is to you and your family. That's why we're pleased to add clinical counsellors to your coverage starting January 1, 2024. Clinical counsellors will now be covered under the extended health care plan's psychology benefit. For more information, please read the Extended Health Care and Dental Plan booklet, available on the Pacific Blue Cross MRBT microsite.

Answering your questions about retirement group health benefits

Board chair, Bonnie Pearson, took part again this year in the Municipal Pension Plan's annual general meeting, presenting the results of the trust's valuation. Bonnie also answered member questions during the question-and-answer period. Thanks to the Municipal Pension Board of Trustees for providing the opportunity to speak to plan members about retirement group health benefits.

We regularly hear from members with questions about benefits. Read on to find the answers to some of the most common questions we receive.

Your health coverage in retirement is different from your health coverage while working

When you retire, any health coverage you have through your employer stops. However, you can choose to enrol in coverage offered through the MRBT, which is a different plan with different coverage and limitations.

We encourage you to learn more about what's covered under MRBT's retirement group health benefits program before you retire. To find out more, read the Extended Health Care and Dental Plan booklet, available on the Pacific Blue Cross MRBT microsite.

When you begin coverage, your deductible resets

The extended health care plan available through MRBT includes a deductible of $100 per person each calendar year. A deductible is the amount that must be paid by you or on behalf of you and your dependant each calendar year before an eligible expense will be reimbursed.

If you are enrolling in coverage mid-year, you will still need to pay the full $100 deductible before you qualify for reimbursement. This deductible applies even if you were previously enrolled in a different plan. The amount you paid toward your deductible in your previous plan does not count toward your deductible under the MRBT plan.

You have 60 days after retirement to enrol in retirement group health benefits

If you don't enrol in the extended health care and/or dental plan within 60 days of retirement, you can enrol later only if you have proof of continuous coverage under another benefits plan. You must enrol within 60 days of that coverage ending.

For more information about continuous coverage and the 60-day requirement, see the learning article Don't miss the boat on health and dental coverage.

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year

The work of the MRBT Board of Trustees is just beginning. We are cautiously optimistic about the future and look forward to our continued work supporting your access to group retirement health benefits.

On behalf of the board, we wish you a healthy and fulfilling new year.

Sincerely,
Bonnie Pearson, board chair
Lyn Kocher, vice-chair

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