Does Covid Get Covered By Alberta Blue Cross Travel Insurance?

Alberta Blue Cross offers COVID-19 coverage for emergencies, including extended hospital stays, ventilator costs, and transportation home. However, the policy does not cover vaccines, COVID-19 tests, or costs associated with travel. The cost of taking a COVID-19 test while traveling is covered up to $5 million.

Alberta Blue Cross has a travel advisory in place, but they want to support travelers who have not had symptoms or a diagnosis within 90 days prior to their departure date. In-Canada plans provide coverage for domestic travel, while top-up coverage is available for group and personal plan members and individuals with coverage through other plans. If there is a travel advisory in place for no or non-essential travel prior to departure date, no coverage will be provided if the claim is directly related to the pandemic.

The Optional Protection: Pandemic program helps cover cancellations or interruptions due to the pandemic. The program covers the cost of COVID-19 tests when prescribed by a physician following a medical emergency or sudden illness. If a person tests positive during their trip, they are covered for the cost of taking a COVID-19 test.

Alberta Blue Cross provides coverage for emergency medical expenses and 24 hour medical travel assistance, including expenses to visit the covered person. However, this program does not provide travel coverage. If planning to travel outside of Canada, travel insurance should be purchased.

COVID-19 tests, including travel-specific tests, are not covered by benefits plans. For members with a Health Spending Account (HSA), a prescription from a healthcare provider is required.

Can I use my Alberta Blue Cross in another province?

The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) covers health services across Canada, but not all services are covered outside of Alberta. Additional travel or medical insurance is necessary for emergencies and transportation. Always carry your AHCIP personal health card, especially when in another province or territory. Show your card for insured physician and hospital services in another province. If unable to provide your card, you may be billed for the cost of health services provided. Contact AHCIP if you are absent from Alberta for more than 6 months in a year.

Is Alberta Blue Cross the same as Blue Cross?

ABC Benefits Corporation operates the Alberta Blue Cross® Plan, like five other Blue Cross® plans in Canada, in compliance with the Canadian Association of Blue Cross® Plans’ licensing requirements. The plan acknowledges its location on traditional lands, referred to as Treaty 6, 7, and 8, and its beneficiaries, including Indigenous Peoples like the Blackfoot, Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Ojibwe, Stoney Nakota Sioux, Tsuut’ina, Métis Nation of Alberta, and Métis Settlements. The company respects the Treaties made on these territories, acknowledges past harms, and commits to working with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.

How do I contact Alberta Blue Cross travel insurance?

To guarantee your safety and general well-being during your travels, please contact our travel specialists at 780-498-8550 or toll-free at 1-800-394-1965 during business hours. It is important to note that the Government of Canada issues travel advisories or warnings that may potentially impact the coverage provided. It is of the utmost importance to ascertain whether any warnings or advisories have been issued prior to departure, in order to guarantee the continued validity of your insurance coverage.

Does Alberta Blue Cross cover Botox?

Members of the Alberta Blue Cross plan who currently have Botox or Xeomin prescribed for a condition may obtain their prescription without any change in process until July 31, 2015. This is because the coverage for these medications will only be approved for uses that have been approved by Health Canada.

What is free for seniors in Alberta?

Alberta seniors can receive financial assistance to cover monthly living expenses, premium-free coverage for prescription drugs and other health-related services not covered by the AHCIP, and basic dental and optical services. The program also offers support for foster and kinship care, elder abuse, and the Affordability Action Plan. Additionally, seniors can renew their vehicle registration and help shape future government policies, programs, and services.

What is covered under Alberta Blue Cross for seniors?

The government offers comprehensive, premium-free coverage for prescription drugs and other health-related services for Albertans aged 65 and older through the Coverage for Seniors program. The Non-Group Coverage program permits AHCIP-registered Albertans under the age of 65 and their dependents to obtain supplementary health benefits in exchange for a monthly premium.

Does Alberta health Care cover out of country?

The AHCIP offers constrained coverage for physician and hospital expenses incurred outside of Canada. In the event that medical or hospital care is received outside of Canada, the individual is held responsible for paying the discrepancy between the billed amount and the amount reimbursed. In the event that coverage is claimed under the AHCIP, the requisite payment must still be made to the relevant health service provider. It should be noted that reimbursement is issued in Canadian funds only.

What is not covered by Alberta Health Care?

The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) provides full coverage for medically necessary physician services and some dental and oral surgical health services to eligible Alberta residents. However, it does not cover private and semi-private hospital rooms, ambulance services, anesthetic charges, and dental services. To remain eligible, residents must be physically present in Alberta for 183 days or longer in a 12-month period.

The AHCIP covers specific dental, oral, and maxillofacial surgical services, and seniors with low to moderate incomes may be eligible for some benefits under the Dental and Optical Assistance for Seniors Program. Dental services not covered by Alberta Health include dentures and routine dental care services.

Does Alberta Blue Cross cover travel insurance?

We offer single-trip emergency medical plans, trip cancellation or interruption coverage, baggage loss coverage, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment for seniors. If you have not experienced symptoms or a diagnosis within 90 days of departure, you’ll be covered for emergency medical expenses. If you test positive during your trip, you’ll be covered for the cost of a COVID-19 test. If you or your travel partner test positive for COVID-19 and need to stay at your destination, some costs may be covered. If you purchased trip cancellation or interruption coverage before November 1, 2022, your insurance contract will be extended free of charge.

Does Alberta Blue Cross cover Viagra?

The Alberta Blue Cross ® benefit review group assesses the scientific, therapeutic, and socio-economic value of new drug products to determine their merit for inclusion in the group plan. Some products, like Viagra for sexual dysfunction, Propecia for hair loss, and Xenical for weight control, may be excluded from coverage.

Special Authorization is a clinical process where a physician requests coverage for a drug for a specific patient, subject to the same deductible and co-payments as regular drug benefits. These requests are typically processed within three working days of receiving the physician’s request.

Pharmacy Agreements are agreements between Alberta Blue Cross ® and individual Alberta pharmacies, ensuring the lowest dispensing fee on prescriptions dispensed for plan participants. Pharmacies are free to charge whatever they wish for the service, but Alberta Blue Cross ® drug plan participants agree to certain maximums outlined in the Pharmacy Agreement.

Does Alberta Blue Cross cover CBD?

Alberta Blue Cross does not cover medical cannabis as a standard product, but offers group coverage for medicinal cannabis on an optional basis with specific criteria and limitations. The legalization of cannabis in Alberta has created confusion for some, particularly employers, who are now seeking information about how cannabis fits into their group benefits plan. Jesse Monck, director of group sales with Alberta Blue Cross, confirms that their organization has been approached by employers seeking information about cannabis and group health policies, as the topic has become more prevalent with the recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada.