Canadian healthcare is a worldwide topic of debate and it's considered a standard that all Westernized countries should follow. That's because Canada has universal healthcare, but it's still got some complicated elements. Not all healthcare services in Canada are covered, so private insurance is still an option.
Whatever your age or health status, you'll need different levels of health insurance. Even if you're a millennial who is hoping to put off this sort of research.
In this blog, we'll discuss Manulife Flexcare insurance plan, specifically the ComboPlus Basic plan. This handy guide will inform you of what the plan includes, so you can decide if it's right for you.
Health insurance in Canada doesn't have to be complicated, so keep reading for an easy breakdown of what FlexCare is.
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What Is FlexCare ComboPlus?
This flexcare plan includes prescription drug coverage, dental care, and the Core Benefits. The different levels of the ComboPlus FlexCare are the Starter, Basic, and Enhanced plans, all of which come with Core Benefits coverage.
The Basic plan is a great choice because it includes some Core Benefits that the Starter plan does not. However, if you want to avoid the medical questionnaire, you would choose the Starter plan. All plans come with drug, dental and Core Benefits, however.
The Basic plan has more extensive drug and dental options, so if you're prepared to take the medical questionnaire, we recommend this plan.
Your Core Benefits are important to know about before we discuss the details of the ComboPlus Basic plan. Hybrid health insurance plans that include a combination of core benefits and more personalized coverage are the future of Canadian healthcare.
What Does ComboPlus Basic Include?
To start, you should know what your Core Benefits are. Let's begin with your Vision coverage with the Basic plan.
A $250 maximum per 2 'benefit' years, which covers the cost towards prescription lenses and frames, contact lenses, and even laser eye surgery. You've got a $70 maximum for Optometrist fees for each 2 consecutive benefit years. This is payable only after Government Health insurance plan max has been reached. Eyeglasses are covered against breaks and scratches, with a repair guarantee for 2 consecutive years. This only applies to lenses and frames purchased with the Vision Core Benefit of FlexCare.
No deductible is charged if your glasses can be repaired, but if they're beyond repair they will be replaced and a $50 deductible will be charged for glasses bought at up to $250. There's a $75 deductible if the original price was between $251 and $300, and a $100 deductible if your glasses cost $301 or more.
Your extended health care within your Core Benefits (for the Basic plan) include a $250,000 lifetime maximum. With any diagnosis of a serious illness or injury, you can get quick answers and second opinions when using Health Service Navigator Services. You'll also get your questions answered by a world-class hospital as well as support for navigating the Canadian health care system.
Chiropractic care also includes Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Podiatry, Massage Therapy, and Acupuncture. That's a $25 max per visit, with a 20 visit maximum per specialty, per anniversary year. A Chiropractic X-ray is at a $35 max per anniversary year.
Psychotherapy with a psychologist is at $80 maximum for a first visit, $65 maximum per additional visits, with 15 visits max per year. Speech pathology is $65 max for the first year, $45 max per subsequent visits with 10 visits max per year. Physiotherapy is a $250 max per year.
Homecare, nursing, prosthetics and durable medical equipment is $4,000 per category per year, for people under age 65. Over the age of 65, it's at $4,500 per category, per year. This plan has a $225 max per year for orthotics, which is part of the prosthetics coverage.
Lifeline Personal Response Service is a maximum of 6 months of service, every 3 years. Accidental dental is maxed at $2,000 per year. Ambulance is unlimited for ground transport to a hospital and $4,000 max for air ambulance transport each year.
Hearing aids are $400 max for 4 consecutive benefit years.
Add-ons
Now for the add-ons that come with the Basic ComboPlus FlexCare plan:
A generic drug plan is in place with this coverage, with a name brand allowed but the price paid will be considered the generic equivalent price. The coverage is 70% paid on your first $750 prescription costs, and 90% on the next $4,972 of prescription costs.
Total benefits payable per year is $5,500 except in Saskatchewan. The exclusions of the drug plan include smoking cessation drugs, OTC drugs, fertility drugs, and birth control. Anything not requiring a prescription isn't covered.
Basic Dental Coverage might not seem like something you should worry about, but trust us, it is! Especially if you're a senior. The Basic plan includes dental coverage for fillings, cleaning, scaling, exams, polishing, and some extractions. Ongoing maintenance is 80% of the first $400, &50 the next $860. Total benefits payable per year is $750.
Recall visits are every 9 months, and dental coverage begins at age 17 for residents of PEI, age 13 for residents of Newfoundland, and age 11 for children living in Nova Scotia.
Still Have Questions about FlexCare?
Hopefully, this breakdown of the ComboPlus Basic FlexCare plan has given you a better idea of what your coverage would include. It's all pretty simple, and certainly cost-effective and worthwhile.
We've got you covered (quite literally) so check out our extensive blog posts for answers to more of your frequently asked questions on health insurance, or any insurance. We even cover children's life insurance plans.
If you're ready to talk to us about how we can help cover your insurance needs, let us know!
