When you are eligible to join the plan, you will need to make a few decisions about what coverage you want to enrol for and the level of coverage you need.
Important Enrolment Deadline
If you don’t enrol for benefits at retirement, or waive benefits coverage, you have 12 months from your date of retirement to enrol for coverage; however, you will need to provide proof of good health for health coverage and dental benefits will be limited. See the section What Happens if I Don’t Enrol at Retirement? for more information.
| Automatically enrolled for: | Enrollment deadline |
|
Automatically enrolled when you retire |
| Enrolment decisions to make: | |
Health, travel and dental:
Life and accident: If you are under age 65, decide if you wish to convert your current coverage (within 31 days of retirement only) to individual policies for:
If you retired from the Civil Service or Health PEI, determine if you wish to maintain your current coverage for:
|
At retirement If you don’t enrol or you waive benefits coverage, you have 12 months from your date of retirement to enrol for coverage; however, you will need to provide proof of good health for health coverage and dental benefits will be limited. |
How to Join the Plan
To join the plan follow these simple steps:
- Johnson Inc. will provide you with a Retiree Benefits Rate Sheet, Retiree Enrolment form and a Beneficiary Designation form.
- Complete and sign the form.
- Gather any supporting documents that may be required.
- If you are required to provide proof of good health, download the medical questionnaire, or request a copy from Johnson Inc. Depending on your responses, you may be required to undergo a medical examination.
- Proof of good health is required:
Health - For you and your family:
- If you enrol over 31 days after your retirement date, and
- If you enrol over 31 days after a life event.
- For you and your family:
- If your child is disabled, you must provide satisfactory proof that they are incapable of self-support because of the disability.
- If your child is an overage student, you must provide confirmation of your child’s continuing attendance at an accredited college or university for each year coverage is to be continued.
- Designate your beneficiaries on a Beneficiary Designation form
- Return the Enrolment form, Beneficiary Designation form and any supporting documents to Johnson Inc.
How to Make a Change
Under the terms of the Public Sector Group Insurance Plan (PSGIP) Retiree Health and Dental Care, you are eligible to change your level of coverage each year effective April 1st without being subject to medical evidence of insurability. If you would like to make a change to your current Health and/or Dental Option, complete the Retiree Health and Dental Change form during the annual re-enrolment window in early March.
Benefit Rules During Retirement
- Proof of good health is not required to continue coverage when you retire, provided you enrol within 31 days of your retirement. However, to continue health or dental coverage, you must be participating in the plan as an active employee when you retire.
- If you continue travel coverage at retirement, you can opt out at a later date, but you will not be able to rejoin.
- During retirement you will have an annual opportunity to change your health and dental options effective each
April 1 . - When you reach age 65, drugs available under the government’s Seniors’ Drug Cost Assistance Program (DCAP) will be covered under that program rather than by the PSGIP.
- If you are over age 65 and your spouse is under age 65, you may each choose single coverage under a different health option, e.g., Option 1 for yourself and Option 3 for your spouse. Once your spouse reaches age 65, you will have an opportunity to select family coverage for you and your spouse under one of the health options.
About the Seniors’ Drug Cost Assistance Program (DCAP)
The Seniors’ Drug Cost Assistance Program (DCAP) helps seniors with the cost of prescription drugs. The program is available to residents of PEI who are entitled to Medicare benefits and are age 65 and over. You do not need to apply for the DCAP, as all PEI residents who are eligible for Medicare are automatically registered in the program at age 65. All you need to do is notify your pharmacy when you reach age 65.
For more information about the DCAP call
What Happens if I Don’t Enrol at Retirement?
- If you waive health or dental coverage at retirement, you may re-enrol only within 12 months of retirement, provided you previously had coverage as an active employee. You may not re-enrol at a later date. If you enrol within the 12-month period:
- For health, you and your covered dependents will be required to provide proof of good health, and
- For dental, you and each covered dependent will be limited to $100 during the first 12 months of coverage.
- If you waive travel coverage at retirement, you may join the travel plan at any time. Once in the plan, you can subsequently withdraw, but only one time. Once you withdraw, you may not rejoin at a later date.
- If you decide to opt out of health, dental or travel coverage at retirement because you are covered under your spouse’s plan and coverage under your spouse’s plan ends, you may re-join the PSGIP within 31 days of the termination of your spousal coverage without having to provide proof of good health.