Here you will find answers to the 10 most commonly asked questions related to pension and benefits topics.

Pension Plan

1. What is the role of the Government of Canada Pension Centre?
2. How is your pension calculated?
3. Who can you designate as beneficiary of the Supplementary Death Benefit?
4. Is your pension fully indexed to reflect the cost of living?
5. What happens to your public service pension when you reach age 65?

Insurance Benefits

1. Who do you contact if you have questions about your group insurance benefit plans?
2. How do you submit an insurance benefit claim?
3. Where can you obtain information about the status of your health and dental claim?
4. How do you find out why your Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) or Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) claim was refused?
5. What online services are available to group insurance benefits plan members? How do you register for them?

Pension Plan

1. What is the role of the Government of Canada Pension Centre?

The Pension Centre is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the federal public service pension plan. The delivery of all pension services for active plan members have been centralized to the Pension Centre.

The Centre’s improved telephone system allows you to select the subject of your call from a list of services provided so that you are directed to a pension expert who is able to answer your questions. Please view the Pension Services for Active Members page for a list of the centralized services.

For information on your group insurance benefit plans, you should continue to contact your Compensation Advisor.

2. How is your pension calculated?

The public service pension plan is designed to provide you with a lifetime pension, payable from the date your pension begins until your death. If you retire before age 65, you also receive a temporary bridge benefit amount payable from the date your pension begins until age 65.

Your pension is based on your average salary multiplied by the number of years of pensionable service to your credit, to a maximum of 35 years. If your pension includes part time service, the benefit is adjusted to reflect the part time assigned hours of work compared to the full time hours of the position.

You can use the personalized Pension Calculator to estimate the amount of your pension benefit. The calculator is available on the Compensation Web Applications (CWA) within the Active Member Pension Applications. CWA can be accessed from computers used within the Government of Canada network.

For more information, you may also refer to Your Pension at a Glance and the Retirement Income Sources section.

3. Who can you designate as beneficiary of the Supplementary Death Benefit?

As a participant in the Supplementary Death Benefit, you may designate one of the following as your beneficiary:

• any person 18 or more years of age at the time of designation;
• your estate or succession;
• any charitable or benevolent organization or institution; or
• any educational or religious organization or institution that is supported by donations.

You can name or change your beneficiary for the Supplementary Death Benefit by completing the Naming or Substitution of a Beneficiary form. To be valid your beneficiary designation form must be received by the Pension Centre prior to your death.

If you are unaware of who you have named as your beneficiary, you may contact the Pension Centre who will be able to provide you with this information.

4. Is your pension fully indexed to reflect the cost of living?

Yes, your pension is indexed to take into account increases in the cost of living. Your pension will be adjusted every January 1^st, based on increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Consult the Protection from Inflation document for additional details.

For information on how the indexing rate is calculated and to find this year’s rate, see the Indexing Explanation.

5. What happens to your public service pension when you reach age 65?

Contributions and benefits under the public service pension plan are coordinated with those under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP). As a result, the public service pension plan provides for the payment of a lifetime pension and a temporary bridge benefit amount. When you reach age 65 or if you start receiving CPP or QPP disability benefits before age 65, the bridge benefit portion of your public service pension stops.

The bridge benefit is intended to supplement your retirement income until you are entitled to receive an unreduced CPP or QPP pension. This is why the bridge benefit ends at age 65 or when you start receiving CPP or QPP disability benefits.

To obtain more information, consult the At age 65 section of the Your Pension at a Glance.

Insurance Benefits

1. Who do you contact if you have questions about your group insurance benefit plans?

If you have been unable to find the answers to your questions on this Portal, for information regarding your:

1. eligible benefits and claims, contact the plan administrator:
   • Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) contact Sun Life at:
     • 1-888-757-7427 (toll free); or
     • 613-247-5100 (in the National Capital Region)
   • Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) contact Great-West Life at:
     • 1-800-957-9777; or
     • 204-946-1190 (outside of North America).
   • Disability Plan contact Sun Life at:
     • 1-800-361-5875.
   • Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) contact Industrial Alliance at:
     • 1-800-977-2117.
2. registration or eligibility, contact your compensation advisor.

2. How do you submit an insurance benefit claim?

The procedure for submitting claims varies by plan.

Under the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP)

• When purchasing eligible prescription drugs and certain medical supplies at the pharmacy, you should present your PSHCP benefit card. If your card is accepted, you will only have to pay your share of the cost and won’t need to submit a claim form. If you have any problems with your benefit card, contact Sun Life at 613-247-5100 for residents of the National Capital Region or 1-888-757-7427 (toll free in North America).
• For other types of eligible health care expenses (including prescription drugs purchased without your benefit card), complete a PSHCP Claim Form (www) (PDF 423KB) and mail it to the address indicated on the form along with your original receipts.

Under the Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP)

• Your dentist can submit the claim electronically to Great-West Life. In this case, it is your responsibility to authorize your dentist to submit the claim on your behalf and to ensure that your dentist has your current information including your plan and certificate number.
• If your dentist does not submit the claim electronically on your behalf ask your dentist to complete his/ her section of the PSDCP Claim Form (www) (PDF 58KB), then complete your section and:
  • mail it to the address indicated on the form; or
  • submit your claim electronically by visiting the Great-West Life GroupNet (www) Web site and click on “Submit Online Claims”. You will need an Access ID and password to access these links.

Note: It is your responsibility to keep a copy of your claims, including the attachments such as bills, receipts and declarations, for your records and possible audit purposes.

Disability claims under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan or the Long Term Disability Insurance Plan (LTD) under the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP):

• If you think your total disability will exceed 13 continuous weeks, notify your compensation advisor immediately to obtain the applicable DI or LTD claim form and instructions. Note that, the completed claim forms and supporting documentation must be received by the insurer at least two months prior to the end of the 13-week elimination period and no later than 90 days after the end of the elimination period to avoid any delay in the payments of benefits to which you may be entitled and possible denial of benefits.

Life insurance claims under the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) in the event of death or accidental dismemberment of a member or dependant:

• Contact your compensation advisor to obtain the applicable claim form and instructions.

3. Where can you obtain information about the status of your health and dental claim?

For information about:

Health care claims under the Public Service Health Care Plan

• Consult Sun Life Member Services (www) on the Sun Life Web site and use your Access ID and password to log in; or
• Call Sun Life at:
  • For residents of the National Capital Region: 613-247-5100
  • Elsewhere: 1-888-757-7427 (toll free in North America)

Dental care claims under the Public Service Dental Care Plan

• Consult Great-West Life GroupNet (www) online services and use your Access ID and password to log in; or
• Call Great-West Life at:
  • 1-800-957-9777; or
  • 204-946-1190 (outside of North America)

4. How do you find out why your Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) or Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) claim was refused?

Health care claims under the Public Service Health Care Plan

• Read the “Details of your health claims” section on the back of the Explanation of Benefits letter (i.e. claim statement) returned from Sun Life and in your Member Services account on the Sun Life Web site (see next question); or
• Call Sun Life at:
  • For residents of the National Capital Region: 613-247-5100
  • Elsewhere: 1-888-757-7427 (toll free in North America)
• Refer to the Appeals Procedures on the TBS Web site

Dental care claims under the Public Service Dental Care Plan

• Read the adjudication information on the back of the Explanation of Benefits letter (i.e. claim statement) returned from Great-West Life or contained in your Group Net account (see next question); or
• Call Great-West Life at:
  • 1-800-957-9777; or
  • 204-946-1190 (outside of North America)
• Refer to the Appeals Procedures on the TBS Web site

5. What online services are available to group insurance benefits plan members? How do you register for them?

Members of the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) and Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) can access via the internet their personal accounts, including claims information for themselves and their dependants.

The online services available include the ability to:

• obtain coverage information;
• download and print personalized claim forms;
• download and print the PSHCP and PSDCP benefit card;
• view the status of claims and print details of past claims;
• determine eligibility for the next vision care claim (PSHCP) or the next dental examination (PSDCP);
• update positive enrolment information (PSHCP);
• sign up for direct deposit and paperless Explanation of Benefits (i.e. claim statement);
• view and elect for paperless PSHCP Bulletins with email notification.

An Access ID and password is necessary to enter each of the Web sites. These can be obtained by registering online at the Web addresses listed below:

• Public Service Health Care Plan Sun Life Member Services (www)
• Public Service Dental Care Plan Great-West Life GroupNet (www)