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.

1. Eligibility and application deadlines

3. Enrolling when you retire

2. Conditions of coverage

When you retire, the extended health care and dental coverage you may have been receiving through your employer will stop. The Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust has partnered with Pacific Blue Cross to offer you access to coverage when you retire. If you choose, you can also include your spouse and/or eligible dependant(s).

As a retired plan member, you can apply for the following coverage:

Extended health care
This supplemental plan extends your medical coverage beyond what is covered by the Medical Services Plan (MSP) of BC and other provincial health plans. It includes coverage for prescription drugs and other expenses such as medical aids and supplies, as well as the cost of some services. The extended health care plan is currently partly subsidized based on your years of service, however the subsidy is not guaranteed and can be changed or eliminated at any time.

Dental care
You can choose from two unsubsidized plans to help cover dental costs.

Enrolment
Enrolling is entirely optional, however the advantage of joining these extended health care and dental plans is that you will receive the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust's group premium rate. This means your cost is often better than what you could get from an individual plan.

If you do not enrol when you retire and apply for your pension, you can only enrol later on if you have been continuously covered in an extended health care plan and/or dental plan since your retirement date and apply within 60 days of ending that coverage.

How premiums are paid

You must pay premiums to receive these extended health care and dental plans. Premiums are deducted from your pension payments.

The extended health care and dental plans offered by the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust are not guaranteed benefits, and coverage may change. This means that your coverage, premiums and deductibles may increase, decrease or be eliminated.