Retirement health coverage and you

Support your health and peace of mind. Learn about the coverage options available to you as a retired member of BC's Municipal Pension Plan.

Enrolling when you retire

Whether you apply for your pension online or through a paper package, we will provide you with information about the extended health care and dental plans available to you. You will select online or submit a form to us to apply for coverage for yourself, your spouse and/or eligible dependant(s).

You are not required to enrol in these extended health care and dental plans. They are optional. For example, you may already have coverage under a spouse’s plan or a plan through another employer, or you may decide that you do not need extended health care and dental coverage.

If you want to enrol, you must do so within 60 days of your retirement date.

Your extended health care and/or dental coverage begins the first of the month after the month your pension is effective. A deduction will come off your first pension payment.

For example, if you retire on April 30, your pension is effective May 1, and extended health care and/or dental coverage begins June 1. The deduction for June will come off your May pension payment.

If you require extended health care and/or dental coverage beginning the first of the month your pension is effective, you can indicate this when you apply for your pension.

If you choose this option, we will deduct two premiums from your first pension payment. The first deduction will be for the current month, and the second deduction will be an advance for the next month. Extended health care premiums are subsidized based on your years of service. This subsidy does not apply to the first month’s coverage. The second and ongoing deductions will be your regular, subsidized premium rate.

You can also arrange to pay Pacific Blue Cross directly through pre-authorized debit from your bank account. Contact the plan for details.

Your pension must be processed before we can set up your coverage. This means you may have to pay for drugs and services until you receive your Pacific Blue Cross identification card. You can claim reimbursement for these costs from the date your coverage begins.

To apply for the extended health care and/or dental plans:

• Complete the Application for Extended Health Care and Dental Benefits form
• Mail the form to the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust

Waiving extended health care and/or dental coverage

If you decide not to enrol when you retire, you can only enrol at a later date if you:

• provide proof of continuous coverage with another provider that has been stopped and
• enrol within 60 days of stopping that coverage.

You must provide the same proof for your spouse and eligible dependant(s) if you wish to enrol them as well.

If you wish to waive enrolment:

• Check the appropriate boxes on the Application for Extended Health Care and Dental Benefits form to decline enrolment
• Mail the form to the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust

Important: if you do not return this application form within 60 days of your retirement date, we will assume you do not want to join the extended health care or dental plans.