Yes. You and your family members are guaranteed the Essential or Essential Plus health plan regardless of pre-existing health conditions and the health of your dependents. The Essential and Essential Plus health plans are available to all eligible enrollees regardless of hours worked, employment status, time of enrollment or hospital of employment. Enrollees who actively working for a Canadian endorsing hospital and are in a 60-day open window will be guaranteed the Complete or Complete Plus health plan.

You may keep some, but not necessarily all. For example, benefits such as basic life insurance, long term disability coverage and accidental death, disease and dismemberment will terminate once you leave the hospital. However, provided that you and/or your spouse are under 65, your employee life insurance (and/or your spouse’s life insurance if applicable) can be converted into an individual policy with The Co-operators. This conversion can be done without providing evidence of good health, but your premiums may change. Life insurance conversions must be done within 31 days of the group coverage terminating. Your health and dental coverage will continue under your current plan option.

No. We have coverage that is both portable and flexible. Should you cease to be employed at a hospital, your health and dental plans will continue under your current plan option.  If your plan includes life insurance, you would have to convert that coverage to an individual plan with The Co-operators within 31 days of your group coverage terminating.  If your plan includes LTD and ADD&D you would have to cancel those benefits.

You can confirm that you work in an endorsing hospital by viewing the list of endorsing hospitals. Or you may call our office at 1.866.768.1477 to speak to one of our Customer Service Associates.

Definitely. Regardless of hours worked in a week, you are eligible to apply for our Standard Package, which offers a variety of health and dental plan options.

Absolutely! Your spousal group coverage does not insure your income! If you are working more than 18 hours per week on average in an endorsing hospital and have spousal coverage, you can enroll in our Signature package (eligibility conditions apply). This plan provides you with long term disability coverage, employee life insurance and accidental death, disease and dismemberment insurance. If you apply for this coverage in a 60-day window your coverage is guaranteed, however, evidence of good health is required if you're outside of an open window. Additionally, if you enroll within a 60-day open window and you later lose the benefits under your spouse’s plan for any reason, we guarantee to offer you and your dependents at that time, the Complete or Complete Plus health plan. This guarantee will be in place regardless of your health and without medical evidence. The only condition is that you must apply for our health plan within 60 days of losing the benefits under your spouse’s plan.

If you are enrolled in our plan that includes these benefits, your life insurance and ADD&D will terminate when you turn 65. Long term disability coverage will terminate 4 months prior to your 65th birthday.

Nothing! Your health and dental plans will continue but your rates will change.

In order to be considered actively at work, you must be a hospital employee that is scheduled to work. For example, you are not considered to be actively at work if you are on a disability or maternity leave.

This is your plan and is not administered by your employer. Therefore, it is your responsibility to notify us of any change to your employment status. Depending on the status change you may no longer be eligible for the basic life, long term disability and accidental death, disease and dismemberment benefits. Please note that changes in coverage will only be made the first of the month following the date our office is notified in writing. Changes in coverage will not be made retroactively.

The term 60-day open window refers to a one-time opportunity to receive the Complete or Complete Plus health plan guaranteed. Depending on your eligibility you may also receive our basic life and long term disability insurance and accidental death, disease and dismemberment benefits guaranteed. 60-day open window opportunities arise from the first of the following occurrences:

• Initial hire date at the hospital

• Losing group health coverage as a result of retirement from a full-time position

• Losing group health coverage as a result of a transfer from full-time to part-time

• Losing group health coverage as a result of turning age 65

• FIRST offer from the hospital of non-temporary or non-contract employment

* 60-day open windows apply only to those employed at an endorsing hospital. Other specific circumstances may apply.

It will not change automatically but you may be eligible to apply for our basic life, ADD&D & LTD benefits. If you are a permanent part-time or casual employee and are now working more than 18 hours per week on average, contact our office to learn more.