What can you do to protect your health in retirement?
STEP 1
Review the numbers. Will your retirement income hold you comfortably into the future? Make sure to estimate your monthly and annual expenses and don’t forget to plan for ongoing medical and dental costs as you age.
STEP 2
Understand the public health care system. MSP and Fair PharmaCare only cover basic health expenses and services. Determine what gaps you may be presented with if these programs don’t cover your required treatments. It is important to consider prescription drugs, dental and practitioner services such as physiotherapy or podiatry.
STEP 3
Confirm what your options are. Check with your employer to find out if you are eligible for an employer pension benefit plan. Make sure you understand how much coverage you may or may not receive through this plan.
STEP 4
Plan for the future. Don’t wait to purchase extended health insurance. The ideal time to buy an individual health plan is while you are healthy; you will get the best coverage at the best rate. In many cases, you will be required to apply within 60 days of group coverage being cancelled, so prompt action is important.
STEP 5
Give us a call. Whether you are supplementing your retirement pension benefits, public health care or providing yourself with peace of mind for the future, an individual health plan can protect you from unexpected health costs. Call one of our local retirement experts who can discuss your options with you.
Why retire with Pacific Blue Cross?
- Expertise – A personal dental, vision and drug plan to supplement your MSP coverage
- Established – Providing health insurance benefits to British Columbia for over 75 years
- Experience – With over 1.5 Million members, we are BC’s #1 health benefits provider