Ontario Blue Cross and Quebec Blue Cross have separately announced that they will offer a reduction in individual health insurance premiums.
The premium reductions are for dental and health care benefits – specifically a 50% reduction of the cost of dental care and 20% off from the cost of the extended health care insurance benefit. Both reductions will automatically apply to clients’ accounts starting May 01, 2020.
“The situation we’re in is exceptional, but it doesn’t change our commitment to continually support the people who trust us,” said Sylvain Charbonneau, president and CEO of Ontario Blue Cross and Quebec Blue Cross.
Charbonneau added that this is Blue Cross’s way of looking out for the smaller people during the pandemic.
“Our individual health insurance clients are mainly entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, small business owners and employees who do not have access to group insurance, as well as retirees and members of associations,” the chief executive explained. “We are therefore taking exceptional measures to reduce their financial burden in this time of crisis.”
On top of the premium reductions, the benefits providers’ coverage now includes access to virtual consultations. Clients can now access virtual consultations with a range of different healthcare professionals, including dietitians or nutritionists, speech therapists, and psychologists.
Last month, both Ontario and Quebec Blue Cross halted sales of individual travel insurance products as the pandemic situation began to grow across the world, and travel restrictions were enforced.
