Attention current permanent OSSTF Education Workers: If you held a permanent position at May 22, 2020 and at September 1, 2020 — you are eligible for the $1,000 OSSTF ELHT Health Spending Account credit. Funds must be claimed by August 31, 2022. For more information about the HSA click here – https://www.osstfbenefits.
Attention current permanent OSSTF Education Workers: If you held a permanent position at May 22, 2020 and at September 1, 2020 — you are eligible for the $1,000 OSSTF ELHT Health Spending Account credit. Funds must be claimed by August 31, 2022. For more information about the HSA click here – https://www.osstfbenefits.
Together we can protect your benefits plan
It is the shared responsibility of you and your Employee Life and Health Trust (ELHT) to protect your benefits.
Why should this matter to you? Simply put, the cost and sustainability of your plan is impacted by usage.
When providers say, ‘use it or lose it’, and encourage unnecessary benefit spending, the cost of providing benefits to you becomes more expensive and may lead to reduced coverage or increased member contributions — or both.
That’s why we say, ‘use it well’, and together we can help to protect your benefits plan.
Safeguarding your plan will help to keep your benefits affordable, accessible and sustainable for when you, your family and your colleagues need it.
Below is an illustration to show how we can work together to protect your benefits plan.
OSSTF_ELHT_Use it well InfoGraph – vFINAL
One of the strategies that is used to ensure appropriate use of your benefits plan is to review provider practices. Some service providers have been delisted. This means that claims submitted for services provided by a delisted provider would not be covered under your plan. Check the delisted providers list before making an appointment to ensure your new and current providers/suppliers are in good standing.
Your choices impact your health and your plan’s health. Use it well.
Questions? We’re here to help. Contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847 or send an online note.
A front-view shot of a cheerful mature businesswoman standing with a smile on her face, she is holding her glasses.
Effective November 1, 2022, the OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan introduced Trainers Choice as an OTIP approved provider for medically necessary surgical and compression stockings.
Surgical and compression stockings are designed to apply gentle pressure to your legs and ankles, promoting blood flow from your legs to your heart.
Your doctor may prescribe surgical and compression stockings to boost circulation in your legs, support veins, reduce swelling, help lessen the pain caused by varicose veins and more.
Your coverage for stockings under the OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan
The OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan provides you with up to six (6) pairs of medically necessary stockings every benefit year (September 1 to August 31) if required. To be eligible, elastic support stockings must be:
Although recommended, it is not mandatory that surgical and compression stockings be purchased through Trainers Choice to be eligible for reimbursement.
About Trainers Choice
As an OTIP approved provider, Trainers Choice offers the highest quality compression and surgical stockings for the best value for your benefit dollars. Trainers Choice requires no up-front payment plus free and fast shipping for eligible purchases.
Plan members and their eligible family members can purchase stockings online at www.trainerschoicestockings.ca. This website is designed specifically for plan members and provides a seamless shopping experience that combines ordering and claiming surgical stockings all in one place.
To create your account and start shopping:
NOTE: As part of the checkout process, you are directing the claims payor to pay Trainers Choice. After you have made your purchase on the Trainers Choice site, you’ll receive an explanation of benefits (EOB). Your EOB provides details of your purchase and the coverage provided to you by your benefits plan. If you are not eligible for your order or more information is required, you will be contacted by a Trainers Choice representative.
To learn more about Trainers Choice as an OTIP approved provider, visit the FAQs found in My Resources in your OTIP plan member account. You can also contact Trainers Choice at 1-800-706-9834 or email info@trainerschoice.on.ca for more information.
What is an OTIP approved provider?
An OTIP approved provider provides:
Why should I shop at Trainers Choice for my stockings instead of another service provider?
The OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website is designed specifically for plan members and provides a seamless shopping experience that combines ordering and claiming surgical stockings all in one place.
The easy online ordering system requires no up-front payment and free shipping for eligible purchases once your eligibility has been confirmed.
As an OTIP approved provider, you can be sure that Trainers Choice offers only the highest quality compression and surgical stockings for the best value for your benefit dollars.
Do I have to shop at Trainers Choice to purchase my surgical stockings now?
No. Benefit plan members can purchase medically necessary surgical stockings from any eligible provider.
How do I shop on the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website?
To create your account and start shopping:
Once registered on the site, you simply need to log in next time you would like to make an eligible purchase under your plan.
Do I have to pay for shipping?
No. The easy online ordering system requires no up-front payment and free shipping for eligible purchases.
Why don’t I have to pay when I place my order?
The OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website is designed specifically for plan members and provides a seamless shopping experience that combines ordering and claiming surgical stockings all in one place.
As part of the checkout process, you are directing the claims payor to pay Trainers Choice directly.
After you have made your purchase on the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice site, you’ll receive an explanation of benefits (EOB). Your EOB provides details of your purchase and the coverage provided to you by your benefits plan and is available by logging into My Claims on the OTIP plan member site.
Who can access the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website to purchase stockings?
All plan members with primary coverage provided by the OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan are invited to shop the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website for medically necessary surgical stockings.
If your condition entitles you to a benefit under Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) your purchase may be made on the Trainers Choice retail site or through another service provider and submitted directly to ADP as you would normally do. If ADP does not pay the full amount, you can submit the balance to your OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan for consideration through your usual method of claims submission.
Can I use the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website for my dependants?
You can shop the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website for eligible medically necessary stockings if your OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan provides primary coverage for you and your family members.
If you or your dependants have primary coverage under another benefit plan (e.g. your spouse’s plan) you are invited to shop the Trainers Choice retail site using discount code OTIP22 to make your purchase. You will then need to submit your claim to your primary plan first (e.g. your spouse’s plan). Any remaining unpaid amounts can then be submitted to OTIP through your usual method of claims submission.
What coverage do I have for stockings under the OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan?
Your OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plan provides up to six pairs of medically necessary stockings every benefit year (September 1 to August 31). To be eligible, elastic support stockings must be:
Once you have claimed six pairs in a benefit year, regardless of the stocking provider, you will not have any coverage remaining.
Can OTIP members covered under other educator benefit plans shop the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website for surgical stockings?
Each Employee Life and Health Trust (ELHT) determines the rules and coverage laid out in their benefit plans. In future, other ELHTs may determine that they would like to offer the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website to their members for their surgical stocking purchases.
Effective November 1, 2022, the OSSTF ELHT Benefits Plans are pleased to introduce Trainers Choice as an OTIP approved provider for medically necessary surgical and compression stockings.
About Trainers Choice
As an OTIP approved provider, Trainers Choice offers the highest quality compression and surgical stockings for the best value for your benefit dollars.
The new OTIP exclusive website available at www.trainerschoicestockings.ca is designed specifically for OSSTF ELHT plan members and provides a seamless shopping experience that combines ordering and claiming surgical stockings all in one place.
OSSTF ELHT benefit plan members and their eligible dependants in need of medically necessary surgical stockings can register on the site using their OTIP ID. Once registered, the website offers an easy online ordering system that requires no up-front payment and free shipping for eligible purchases.
Learn more
To learn more about Trainers Choice as an OTIP approved provider, visit our FAQs found in My Resources in your OTIP plan member account.
To start shopping on the OTIP exclusive Trainers Choice website, please visit www.trainerschoicestockings.ca.
NOTE: Although recommended, it is not mandatory that surgical and compression stockings are purchased through Trainers Choice in order to be eligible for reimbursement. The OSSTF Benefit Plan provides coverage for surgical stockings that are recommended by a licensed medical doctor, have a compression value of at least 20 to 30 mmHg pressure, and are required to treat a diagnosed medical condition. Reasonable and customary charges for up to 6 pairs per benefit year (September to August) may be considered eligible. If using another provider, submission of a prior authorization is recommended.
Your group benefits plan is provided to you by the OSSTF Employee Life and Health Trust (ELHT) Benefits plan and was established to help cover or supplement the cost of delivering health and dental benefits to you and your family.
The OSSTF Benefits plan is responsible for ensuring that your benefits plan is managed sustainably and efficiently. The level of coverage your plan provides is directly related to the funding received by the OSSTF Benefits plan.
Benefits fraud and abuse can put the OSSTF Benefits plan at risk and has negative consequences for the sustainability of your benefits plan.
Benefits fraud and abuse can lead to higher costs, reduced coverage, or both. While some consider benefits fraud a victimless crime, it impacts every member of the OSSTF Benefits plan. It also directly impacts the ability of your OSSTF Benefits plan to provide optimum coverage amounts and maintain overall plan sustainability.
Benefits fraud vs. abuse
Fraud is the intentional submission of false or misleading information for the purpose of financial gain. Fraud is a crime, and those who are convicted may face serious consequences, including potential job loss, criminal conviction, jail time and fines. Some common examples of provider/plan member fraud include:
Abuse is when a health or dental provider or an OSSTF Benefits plan member take advantage of your OSSTF Benefits plan provisions for personal gain. This includes overuse of services, excessive billing and accessing or providing treatment when there is no proven medical need. These types of benefit abuses have a negative impact on your OSSTF Benefits plan. Some common examples of provider/plan member abuse include:
You can help protect your OSSTF Benefits plan. Here’s how.
Fraud and abuse can be committed by service providers, plan members, or both parties. Sometimes benefits fraud and/or abuse can happen without the plan members consent or knowledge. As an OSSTF Benefits plan member you can help to protect your plan, and yourself, from benefits fraud and abuse.
Do:
Do not:
Every dollar paid out due to a fraudulent claim is one more dollar that is not available for legitimate dental or healthcare needs. Any claim suspected to be fraudulent is thoroughly investigated by Manulife, and claims proven to be fraudulent are reported to OSSTF Benefits for review and action in accordance with the OSSTF Benefits fraud policy. Review your anti-fraud policy.
If you suspect that someone you know or a service provider may be committing fraud, you can report it to OSSTF Benefits, OTIP, or Manulife. It is our shared responsibility to protect the plan and report fraud when we see it.
Questions? Check your benefits booklet for benefit plan terms and coverage details. You can also contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847.
Related articles:
Don’t let others put your benefits at risk
Boards and School Authorities have been provided with a OSSTF New Hire Letter (226kB PDF) and the OSSTF Benefits at a glance (168kB PDF) that they are encouraged to pass on to new hires. New members are encouraged to access these documents for their enrolment questions, or to call OTIP Benefits Services at 1-877-783-6847 if they do not receive their enrolment invite or if they need assistance in the enrolment process.
In families with two working adults, it is common to have access to more than one health plan. There may be some overlap in the types of benefits and/or services they cover.
Co-ordination of benefits is how insurance companies co-ordinate benefits and claim payments when you have coverage under more than one group health plan. This procedure, set out by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA), establishes which plan pays first and how benefits are calculated when a person makes a claim to more than one group plan, either as a member or as a dependant (spouse or child).
How does co-ordination of benefits help you and your plan?
By co-ordinating your plans together:
Ready to co-ordinate your benefits plans?
For more information on co-ordination of benefits, you can check out:
You can now check to see what specific brands and models of orthopaedic shoes may be covered by your OSSTF Benefits Plan. To see this list, log in to My Claims.
Before you purchase orthopaedic shoes:
Important notes:
The list is available in English only.
As we approach the end of the year, please be mindful of some service providers’ marketing campaign to ‘use it or lose it’. These campaigns are designed to serve the providers who promote them, however using benefits that are not medically necessary does not serve to protect the overall health of your plan.
Benefits like massage therapy and orthotics have balances that reset every benefit year to ensure proper care as necessary for plan members and their families. However, if it is not medically necessary, maximizing all of your benefits will negatively impact the long-term sustainability of the benefits plan, and may affect everyone’s ability to access necessary benefits in the future. Therefore, your responsible use of the plan is in the best interests of yourself, your family and fellow plan members.
Your benefits plan is designed to provide you and your family with financial protection for a variety of medical expenses, including prescription drugs. The Prior Authorization Program helps to manage drug costs while continuing to provide you with access to appropriate drug therapy. The program validates that the drug is prescribed for its intended use and meets the terms and conditions outlined in your benefits booklet.
For a specific list of drugs, additional medical information is needed before determining if the drug is eligible. A drug may be prescribed to treat different medical conditions; one condition that may be covered under your benefits plan and one that may not be.
NOTE: The list of drugs requiring prior authorization is updated regularly, so be sure to check it each time you receive a new prescription.
Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind the next time you visit your doctor or pharmacist or prescribed a drug:
| When your doctor prescribes a new drug: |
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| When you pick up your prescription from the pharmacist: |
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| Other consideration |
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Use My drug plan to look for generic drug options
My drug plan is a user-friendly, drug lookup tool (found in My Claims quick links). It can help you to manage your drug costs especially because you have a mandatory generic drug plan. You can find out if a generic drug is available or if prior authorization is needed. A drug library is also right at your fingertips
IMPORTANT NOTES:
To help manage the costs associated with prescription drugs, the OSSTF Benefits Plan includes mandatory generic substitution.
With a mandatory generic drug plan, any prescribed drug cost cannot exceed the price of the lower cost alternative drug, which is typically a “generic” drug.
*Reasonable and customary will be applied to the eligible amount
Here’s an example1 of how mandatory generic substitution works:
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1Examples and pricing are based on the Ontario market and provided by My drug plan tool. Prices are estimates only, regional differences may vary, and include some drug mark-ups. If you are eligible for a dispensing fee, it will be included in the drug cost shown in My drug plan.2As per your benefits plan, you are reimbursed for the lowest cost alternative (generic drug). |
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When filling a prescription – speak up!
In many provinces, pharmacists will automatically dispense the generic alternative as part of their standard practice unless the prescribing doctor has indicated that “no substitutions” should be made. If your doctor has indicated “no substitution,” you can ask your pharmacist to dispense the generic drug – or you can accept the brand-name drug, and pay the price difference between the brand-name and the generic drugs.
If you share in either the cost of your plan or the cost of your prescription, switching to generics may help you and your plan save some money!
Use My drug plan to look for generic drug options
My drug plan is a user-friendly, drug lookup tool (found in My Claims quick links). It can help you to manage your drug costs especially because you have a mandatory generic drug plan. You can find out if a generic drug is available or if prior authorization is needed. A drug library is also right at your fingertips.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
In some instances, you may experience an adverse reaction to the generic drug, or it is therapeutically ineffective. When this happens, medical evidence can be submitted to support why the brand-name drug is being prescribed. To get approved for a brand-name drug, you need to complete the Request for Approval of Brand-Name Drug form, have it signed by your doctor and return it to the address on the form. If approved, you will be paid back* the cost of the brand-name drug.
*Before you get any money back, reasonable and customary limitations, coinsurance\reimbursement, deductibles and/or maximums apply as per the terms and conditions in each plan (refer to your benefits booklet).
Myth: Brand-name drugs are safer and more effective than generic drugs.
Fact: Generic drugs are every bit as safe and effective as brand-name drugs. In fact, they are equivalent to the brand version in dosage, safety, strength, quality, the way they work and the way they’re taken.
Brand-name and generic drugs have one important thing in common: they’re designed to heal us or make us feel better. And one of the big differences between these drugs is the cost. To help manage drug costs while ensuring you and your family have access to appropriate drug therapy, your benefits plan includes mandatory generic substitution.
What is a generic drug?
Generics are similar, not identical, to brand-name drugs.
When a new drug is developed, found to be safe and effective, and finally approved, it’s usually patented. The patent protects the new drug from being copied for a period of 20 years. The new drug is marketed and sold only by the pharmaceutical company that developed it. When the patent-protected period ends, other companies can produce and sell the same drug as generic equivalents. Because the brand-name drug has already been proven, companies can save research and development costs and afford to charge less for the generic drug.
There may be many generic versions of the brand-name drug. Next time you are prescribed a drug by your doctor or visit your pharmacist to fill a prescription, consider asking the following questions:
Win-win situation: Your plan and generic drugs
With mandatory generic substitution in your drug plan, any prescribed drug cost cannot be more than the price of the lower cost alternative drug (generic drug).
In some instances, you may experience an adverse reaction to the generic drug, or it is therapeutically ineffective. When this happens, medical evidence can be submitted to support why the brand-name drug is being prescribed. To get approved for a brand-name drug, you need to complete the Request for Approval of Brand-Name Drug form (www.otip.com/forms), have it signed by your doctor and return it to the address on the form. If approved, you will be paid back the cost of the brand-name drug.
Check your benefits booklet to learn more about your drug coverage or call OTIP Benefits Services at 1- 866-783-6847.
Sources:
http://www.choosinggenerics.ca
The Safety and Effectives of Generic Drugs, Government of Canada, https://www.canada.ca/en/healthcanada/services/healthy-living/your-health/medical-information/safety-effectiveness-generic-drugs.html, 2012
To ensure you get a suitable custom-made orthotic, it’s important to ask questions and keep yourself informed throughout the purchasing process.
Under the OSSTF Benefits Plan, your coverage for casted, customer-made orthotics is: up to a maximum of $750 per plan year (an approved diagnosis from either a physician or a podiatrist/chiropodist is required.) The plan year is September to August.
Custom-made orthotics are prescribed by specific health-care professionals, which include physicians, podiatrists and chiropodists. They will diagnose whether or not an orthotic would be beneficial to your situation. The prescribers and providers are licensed and governed by either a provincial or national body, and are subject to standards of practice. This, along with each body’s Code of Ethics, helps ensure their accountability and your protection.
For all Canadian provinces, except Quebec*, podiatrists, chiropodists, pedorthists are recognized as foot care specialists.
After being prescribed an orthotic, you’ll need to visit one of the providers listed above for an assessment. A provider will guide you through an extensive evaluation to ensure an orthotic is the best option and that it’s properly designed. You should expect the orthotic provider to perform the following:
Medical history review: A complete investigation and documentation of your medical history, symptoms and previous injuries. The provider will also take into consideration your lifestyle (occupation and activities) as well as your current and past footwear (fit, style, wear and pattern).
Examination: A hands-on evaluation of the lower limbs including foot structure, alignment, strength, range of motion, soft-tissue damage as well as identifying any abnormalities.
Gait analysis: The provider will observe you walking to identify accommodations or abnormalities (e.g. whether you favour one leg or the other).
Orthotic evaluation: The provider will determine treatment options and explain how the treatments will address your specific needs.
Casting: A proper cast is essential to create a truly custom-made orthotic as it ensures that your orthotic is made with all of the contours and structure of your foot. Casting techniques include: foam box casting, plaster of paris slipper casting, contact digitizing and laser scanning.
Manufacturing: For an orthotic to be claimed under your benefits plan, it must be constructed from scratch and fabricated directly from your mould. You can expect at least one week between your initial assessment and your fitting appointments. Orthotics that are not manufactured specifically to your needs can result in pain by overstressing your muscles, bones and joints.
Dispensing: Custom-made orthotics should be fitted specifically for you and your footwear. The provider should evaluate how you walk while wearing the orthotics. You should also be offered a follow-up appointment within 2-6 weeks of receiving your orthotics.
Education: The provider should educate you on things like breaking in your new orthotics, lifespan, and how they should fit. You should also be made aware of any warning signs that the orthotics are not working properly and instructed to return if you experience any problems.
Please note that some of the examples listed above may not pertain to your benefits plan. Consult your benefits booklet for details.
*For the province of Quebec a foot orthotist or an orthotist prosthetist working in a laboratory accredited by the Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services and who is a member of the Order of Professional Technologists of Quebec and a podiatrist are the eligible providers of orthotics.
The 2017-2018 Annual Report is now available by clicking here (3MB PDF).
September 1 was the first financial renewal of the OSSTF Benefits Plan. Future renewals are scheduled for each September 1st going forward; however, rate and/or plan design changes can be implemented at any time throughout the benefit year, in order to sustain the plan over the long term.
The Trustees of the OSSTF ELHT have been working with OTIP (the Third-Party Administrator), Manulife (the provider of the life insurance, health and dental benefits) and Teachers Life (the provider of the Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefits) to set the benefit rates as of September 1, 2018.
As the plan matures, the OSSTF ELHT will be better able to assess claim patterns. The current claims experience of the OSSTF ELHT for health and dental benefits reflects higher than anticipated claiming patterns by members. If these high claiming patterns continue, it may be necessary to increase the rates and member contributions towards the benefits and/or to implement cost containment strategies into the plan prior to, or at next renewal.
The OSSTF ELHT was negotiated for OSSTF members. It provides a full and comprehensive benefits program to cover the health needs of members and their dependents. The long-term sustainability of the plan is one of the OSSTF ELHT’s major priorities so it is important that members are aware of these potential future challenges.
If you have any questions please contact Donna Morrison, Executive Director at donna.morrison@osstfbenefits.ca.
In the insurance world, a life event simply means a change in your personal situation that can make you eligible for a special enrolment period in your group health, dental and life benefits plan.
Events, like marriage, the birth of a baby, adoption or legal custody of a child, divorce, the death of a spouse/partner or dependant or a spouse/partner losing benefits coverage, might allow you to enrol, or change your current benefits coverage, providing you do so within a certain time frame (i.e. within 31 days).
For example, a member currently has single coverage and gets married or has a baby. Given this life event, the member can now change their coverage from single to family and add their new dependant to their benefits coverage, providing they do so within 31 days of the wedding, or the birth/adoption of the child.
In another example, a member may have turned down health and/or dental coverage during their enrolment because their spouse/partner had benefits. A few months later, their spouse loses that coverage due to a change in employment, or maybe passes away. This would entitle the member to a special enrolment period where they could add coverage for health and/or dental coverage, so long as the enrolment was completed within the required timeframe of 31 days.
Making life event changes is easier than ever using OTIP’s secure member site.
The 31-day window is your special enrolment period for life events. If you miss it, in other words you do not apply for benefits for yourself or an eligible dependant during that time, you are considered to be ‘a late entrant’. This means that you will be required to complete an Application for Insurance and Evidence of Insurability, which determines proof of good health. Therefore, it is critical that you make these important changes within the 31-day timeframe, otherwise coverage may be denied for you and/or your dependant.
OTIP is here to help! If you have questions about qualifying life events, or how to make changes to your benefits coverage, please contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1‑866‑783‑6847.
R&C limits refer to the maximum allowable amount that an insurance carrier will reimburse on a particular service or item. This amount usually reflects the typical cost associated with this service or product in a specific geographical region.
R&C limits are most noticeable in paramedical practitioners (chiropractor, physiotherapist, massage therapist, etc.) and medical service providers. Why? Unlike physicians and hospital services, paramedical and medical service providers do not have to adhere to a provincial fee guide, and are instead free to charge whatever they choose for their services and supplies.
Let’s use an example. Sera hurts her back, and seeks the services of a chiropractor. This particular chiropractor charges $200 for an initial consultation; however, the R&C limit for this service in Ontario is $180. When Sera submits her claim, Manulife, our insurance carrier, will use their R&C limit to determine her claim reimbursement. In this case, Sera would be reimbursed $180, and would be out of pocket the other $20.
Higher rates drive higher plan costs. R&C limits are important to ensure claims to your benefits plan are not excessive. Therefore, smart shopping on your part for health-care products and services helps by not only reducing your out-of-pocket expenses, but also helping to reduce benefits plan costs. R&C limits also help reduce the likelihood of benefits fraud or abuse. Together, this means a healthier plan with more sustainable benefits.
To view Manulife’s R&C amounts:
Since R&C limits may change over time without notice, please review this information before starting a new medical treatment, or using a new paramedical or medical service provider. OTIP is also here to help. If you have questions about R&C limits, or how they might impact you, call OTIP at 1‑866‑783‑6847.
Did you know under the OSSTF Benefits Plan, your coverage for surgical stockings is: up to a maximum of six (6) pairs per plan year on a reasonable and customary basis? The plan year is September to August.
To avoid delays in processing your surgical stocking claims, please complete and sign the Extended Health Care Claim form and attach the following information:
Ensure all applicable sections of the claim form are completed and include copies of primary payment if coordination of benefits (COB) is required. Please send this information as instructed on the form.
If you have either lymphedema or a hypertrophic scar, you can apply for coverage with the Assistive Devices Program (ADP).
ADP’s allowance is 75% of the cost of:
NOTE: Varicose veins, diabetes, thromboses are not eligible under the ADP.
To apply to the ADP, please work with your service provider. If the ADP does not cover the full cost of your expense, you can submit the remainder to OSSTF Benefits Plan via My Claims or completing the Extended Health Benefit Claim form (776kB PDF).
Questions about the ADP? You can learn more at: Garments, pumps and braces.
We are pleased to announce that your OSSTF Benefits Plan now includes psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy is a term that covers all talking therapies and the many associated approaches/methods. Psychotherapists are mental health professionals who use “talking therapy” or counselling to help people work through difficult issues, rather than medications or physical interventions. People generally see psychotherapists when their problems affect their day-to-day living.
Psychotherapy will be added to your plan at 100% coverage up to $2,000 per Plan Year combined for services of a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, social worker and psychotherapist. All psychotherapists must be licensed and registered in the province of coverage and all claims are subject to reasonable and customary charges.
Additional questions? For more detailed information on this new benefit, please review your benefits booklet located in My Claims. If you have any questions about your benefits plan, or if a claim would be eligible for coverage, please contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847.
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by OSSTF Benefits and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. All information on this website is subject to change without notice.
The OSSTF Benefits Plan provides Life Insurance, AD&D (Accidental Death and Dismemberment) and Health and Dental benefits for eligible members. The funding for the Basic Life Insurance and AD&D in the OSSTF Benefits Plan for active members is fully paid from the negotiated Full Time Equivalent Funding with no member contribution required for these benefits. This funding; therefore, is a taxable benefit to OSSTF members which means members will receive a T4A annually from OTIP for this taxable benefit.
In order to issue the T4A for this taxable benefit, OTIP requires that Social Insurance Numbers are provided by the School Boards and School Authorities once a year.
You should be receiving a letter from your School Board or School Authority indicating that they are being required to provide your Social Insurance Number for the sole purpose of issuing this T4A annually.
As with all personal and financial information, please be assured that all involved parties have and will continue to treat this information with the utmost safety, security and confidentiality.
If you have any questions please contact Donna Morrison, Executive Director at donna.morrison@osstfbenefits.ca.