The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) is a voluntary health care plan for federal public service employees and their families. Every five years, this plan is reviewed by the Treasury Board.  Benefits for public service workers are not negotiable under the law, so PIPSC plays an active advisory role during this review bringing forward your suggestions and concerns.

Along with other public service unions, we conducted a member survey in 2018 and held consultations to identify your priorities.

You asked for a plan that:

• promotes health & wellness through evidence-based medical care and plan design
• provides comprehensive coverage to care for members in difficult life situations
• innovates with digital tools, industry partnerships, new technologies and preventative care
• adopts a long term vision of sustainable, efficient, and affordable health care that delivers top value to current members, retired members and the Canadian public.

Our Pension & Benefits Team analyzed your feedback, developments in other big plans as well as trends in the industry. Along with other public service unions, we have identified coverage enhancements like enhanced vision care, access to social workers and psychotherapists and the implementation of direct billing. 

We are presenting our proposal to the employer in the coming months and will keep you informed. 

Disability workers’ compensation, pension and lump-sum payments for a reclassification decision are generally considered taxable income.

This income is reported to the Canada Revenue Agency and must be declared when you file your taxes. Your employer, the pension centre, the workers’ compensation board, and the disability plan administrator will provide you with online tax statements. Most disability payments, including the Public Service Disability Plan, are taxable income.

It is important to review these payments carefully with your tax professional. If you have concerns about the amounts stated on these forms, you must contact the organization that provided the document. Your PIPSC compensation team does not have access to this information and cannot provide tax advice.

If you have received income from multiple sources – for example, from disability pay adjustments and retroactive payments because of a reclassification decision then you may receive amended tax forms at a later date. This is usually automatic. Often tax forms need to be reissued to reflect any corrections in amounts paid or the type of income. This might be the case for someone who completed a progressive return to work or who was accepted for workers’ compensation while also receiving disability payments. You may find it helpful to review your bank statements against the amounts reported on your tax forms to ensure any adjustments were properly reflected.

Your tax professional will be able to assist you with understanding the tax implications of these documents including tax credits for certain retroactive payments.

Members who experienced tax issues resulting from Phoenix will find additional information here

The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) will temporarily accept expenses for social workers and psychotherapists under the mental health provision.

This includes services provided directly by psychotherapists as well as social workers in all regions.

It’s okay to not be okay. This is a difficult time, please use all the supports that are available to you.

Whether or not you are covered by the PSHCP, most PIPSC members with federal, provincial or private employers, have access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP). These programs also include mental health support that is easy to access.

We’re all in this together. Reach out to your family, friends, colleagues, fellow union members and mental health supports. We all need a hand sometimes.

The Government of Canada has announced an official global travel advisory: avoid non-essential travel outside Canada until further notice. This impacts your travel insurance coverage.

Travel benefits may be void if you decide to leave the country after these advisories have been announced.

The federal government has recommended Canadians currently outside of Canada to return as soon as possible and requires returning travelers to self-isolate for fourteen days. Government loans are available to pay for return travel arrangements. It is your responsibility to protect the health of your community. If you are not able to safely return to Canada, the government is urging Canadians to minimize contact with other people.

Most PIPSC members are covered by the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) or another private healthcare plan. These plans generally offer emergency travel benefits including out-of-country emergency healthcare and travel assistance. For travellers currently unable to return to Canada, the travel insurance has been extended. If you are:

• currently unable to return to Canada
• covered by PSHCP
• departed Canada between January 18 and March 16

Your PSHCP travel insurance is extended until further notice.  If you cannot safety return to Canada and you departed between January 18 and March 16, you will remain covered. 

Many credit card providers also offer emergency travel medical coverage, trip cancellation, and trip delay insurance when the trip is purchased with the credit card. These benefits may cover the cost of returning to Canada in the event of a travel advisory. More information on these benefits can be found by contacting your credit card provider or by checking their website. The PSHCP and most private healthcare plans do not offer this coverage.

Carriers of the virus may never have any symptoms, but may still be a danger to others. Members returning to Canada from overseas, including the United States of America, should self-quarantine for fourteen days. This is critical to preventing the spread of the virus and protecting our healthcare system.

For more information on COVID-19 for PIPSC members visit our FAQs.