Insurance for Doctors

Health and Dental

The Health Benefits Trust Fund (HBTF) plan is a comprehensive health and dental benefit plan for members and their medical office staff. It includes an employee benefit package of Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Long Term Disability insurance coverage specifically for medical office staff. 

The plan covers many health care expenses such as: 

  • Drugs

  • Dental services

  • Eye Exams

  • Paramedical expenses

  • Other medical supplies or equipment (eg. crutches, braces, etc.)

More importantly, the HBTF plan provides coverage for essential unpredictable, and often pricey, medical expenses such as: 

  • Prescription drugs

  • Prosthetics

  • Medical equipment (for more information refer to pages 8 and 9 of the benefit booklet)

  • Private duty nursing

  • Accidental dental

  • Hospital and emergency travel (for more information refer to page 10 of the benefit booklet)

With this plan, Doctors of BC members can also elect an optional “Cost Plus” feature which allows physicians to self-insure eligible health and dental expenses that are not covered in the base plan, and use the payments as a tax deduction for their professional business.

Eligibility

Physicians can enroll in the plan if they are:

  • a member of Doctors of BC 

  • under the age of 65 

  • residing in Canada 

Proof of good health is not required if you apply within 90 days of becoming a Doctors of BC member for the first time. 

Medical Office Staff can/must be enrolled in the plan if they are: 

  • employed in a medical office that is participating in this Plan (see Participation Requirements below) 

  • under the age of 65 

  • actively working in the office at least 20 hours per week (regularly) 

  • must be enrolled within 3 months of employment and must complete a three month waiting period 

Participation requirements for office enrollment

A minimum number of eligible staff must be enrolled based on the size of the office, per the following chart: 

Number of Eligible Applicants in Office  Minimum Number of Eligible Applicants Required to enroll
5 or fewer  100% of Office
6 5
7 6
8 7
9 8
10 or more 75% (rounded up)

New office staff must join the plan. If new staff members already have other health and dental coverage in place, s/he may waive their participation in the health and dental coverage on the HBTF Enrollment Form, however, s/he must enroll in the Life, AD&D and LTD benefits. 

Special offer for new physicians in first year of practice

Your Resident Extended Health and Dental coverage will end when your residency ends. Doctors of BC has a special offer for new physicians - join the HBTF Benefits Plan within 90 days of completing residency and receive a 50% premium rate discount for the first 12 months on the HBTF Benefits plan. Refer to the “How much will the plan cost" document below for current premium rates.

If you enroll in the plan within 90 days of completing residency you will not be required to provide proof of good health.

Find out more

For members covered under the Core-Plus Benefits Plan, please contact the HBTF Plan Administrator at Doctors of BC for a copy of the Canada Life booklet and administration forms.
 

Application forms

Please forward completed forms to Doctors of BC for processing via fax: 604 638 2909 or email: 

Late applicants and Medical Office Employees applying for Long Term Disability coverage greater than $1,000/month will be sent an Evidence of Insurability form for completion. Coverage will be subject to approval by Canada Life. Once the completed form is received by Canada Life, the process can take between 4-6 weeks before written notification is sent advising of the status of your application.

Administration forms

Please forward completed forms to Doctors of BC for processing via fax: 604 638 2909 or email:

Claim guides and forms

Emergency travel assistance

For assistance during a medical emergency while travelling, call the number of the location nearest you. Service is available 24 hours a day.

Canada or U.S.A: 1 855 222 4051 Mexico: 0 1 800 522 0029 

Dominican Republic: 1 800 203 9530 Universal countries: 1 800 9006 7555 

Cuba: 1 204 946 2946 call direct*

All Other Countries: 1 204 946 2577 call direct* or collect 

*Submit long distance charges to Canada Life for reimbursement