Out-of-Province Benefit

The Out-of-Province Benefit is available only to members with Supplementary Coverage.

The benefit consists of the following components:

Emergency Benefit while Travelling
Emergency Travel Assistance Services
Referral Benefit

Emergency Benefit while Travelling

Each participant is covered for eligible medical expenses incurred as a result of an emergency while travelling on vacation or on business. The maximum eligible expense per participant is $500,000 (in Canadian dollars) per period of travel (not exceeding 40 consecutive days).

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses mean the reasonable and customary charges in excess of the amount payable by a government health insurance plan, if they are required for emergency treatment of an injury or disease that occurs within 40 days of the date of departure from the province/territory of residence.

Eligible expenses
Doctors’ services	Services of a physician.
Evacuation (including ambulance services)	Medical evacuation, which may include ambulance services, when suitable care, as determined by Sun Life, is not available in the area where the emergency occurred.
Family assistance	Family assistance benefits up to a combined maximum of $2,500 for any one travel emergency, as follows: The maximum payable for dependant children under age 16 who are left unattended because the participant or the participant's covered spouse is hospitalised and an escort (if necessary) is the cost of economy airfare for return transportation. Return transportation if a family member is hospitalised and as a result the family members are unable to return home on the originally scheduled flight, and must purchase new return tickets. The extra cost of the return airfare is payable, to a maximum of the cost of economy airfare. A visit of a relative if the family member is hospitalised for more than 7 days while travelling alone. This includes economy airfare, and meals and accommodations to a maximum of $150 per day, for a spouse, parent, child, brother or sister. This benefit also covers expenses incurred if it is necessary to identify a deceased family member prior to release of the body. Meals and accommodations if the participant or a covered dependant's trip is extended due to hospitalisation of a family member. The additional expenses incurred by accompanying family members for accommodations and meals are provided to a maximum of $150 per day.
Hospitalization and hospital services	Public ward accommodation and auxiliary hospital services in a general hospital.
Repatriation	Return of the deceased in the event of death of a family member. The necessary authorisations will be obtained and arrangements made for the return of the deceased to the province/territory of residence. The maximum payable for the preparation and return of the deceased is $3,000.
Return to province/territory of residence	One-way economy airfare for the patient's return to their province/territory of residence. Airfare for a professional attendant accompanying the patient is also included where medically required.

Emergency travel assistance services

The PSHCP provides a toll-free number which gives you 24-hour access to a world-wide assistance network of professionals who offer help with medical, legal, or other travel-related emergencies.

Please note, however, that assistance services are not available in countries of political unrest. The list of countries, as maintained by Sun Life, will change according to world conditions.

Neither Sun Life nor the company providing the assistance network is responsible for the availability, quality, or result of the medical treatment received by the participant or for the failure to obtain medical treatment.

Eligible expenses
Advances	Advance payment on behalf of the participant or a covered dependant for the payment of hospital and medical expenses. To arrange for advance payment of hospital and medical expenses, the participant must sign an authorisation form allowing the Administrator to recover payment from the provincial/territorial health insurance plan. The participant must reimburse the Administrator for any payment made on their behalf which is in excess of the amount eligible for reimbursement under the provincial/territorial health insurance plan and the PSHCP.
Arranging of care	Transportation arrangements to the nearest hospital that provides the appropriate care or back to Canada.
Medical care	Medical referrals, consultation and monitoring.
Message service	A message service for family and business associates; messages will be held for up to 15 days.
Referrals	Legal referrals.
Telephone interpretation	A telephone interpretation service.

Official travel status

Employees required to travel on "official travel status" for government business are covered under the Emergency Benefit while Travelling and are eligible to use the Emergency Travel Assistance Services during the entire period of "official travel status". Although there is no time limit to be on "official travel status", the $500,000 (in Canadian dollars) benefit coverage limit still applies.

Referral Benefit

Referral services must be:

performed when the participant physically leaves the province/territory of residence,
following a written referral by the attending physician in the person's province/territory of residence,
for a service that is not offered in the person's province/territory of residence.

Eligible expenses under this benefit will be limited to the reasonable and customary charges in excess of the amount payable by a provincial/territorial health insurance plan and to a maximum eligible expense of $25,000 per illness or injury.

Eligible expenses
Doctors’ services	Services of a physician or surgeon
Hospitalization and hospital services	Public ward accommodation and auxiliary hospital services in a general hospital
Laboratory services	Laboratory services including those services which when ordered by and performed under the direction of a physician provide information used in the diagnosis or treatment of disease or injury. Services include, but are not limited to, blood or other body fluid analysis, clinical pathology, radiological procedures, ultrasounds, etc.

Coverage