Your provincial health plan gives you access to basic medical care, but that doesn’t mean you’re covered for specialized or unexpected medical expenses. That’s why you can purchase supplemental health and dental insurance coverage.
According to a recent survey by Green Shield Canada, Canadians are spending more of their time trying to access health care and benefits – sometimes spending 2.5 times more time finding the care they need and accessing coverage for it, than they actually spend in their doctor’s appointment.
To see a health care practitioner, you need to book the appointment, fill out medical history forms, and then wait for the day and time, or even spend extra time in the waiting room. Afterwards, you may need to fill a prescription, make a follow-up appointment or then – if you have coverage – submit your insurance forms. It can be challenging.
At SBIS we partner exclusively with Green Shield — Canada’s first payer-provider and only national not-for-profit health and benefits company — to provide PRISM health insurance plans – specifically designed to help you take control of your health by providing you with out-of-pocket expense protection and convenience.
PRISM provides coverage and care, all in one place
PRISM individual health insurance plans give you access to products and services that may not covered by your provincial plan, such as prescription drugs, dental care, and treatments by specialists, including psychologists, massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, and more. If you only have health insurance coverage through your provincial plan, you may not be able to afford these additional treatments when you need them.
Having a plan in place helps you take healthcare steps that can help prevent problems before they occur, like treating an injury with physiotherapy to prevent the long-term implications of chronic pain as you age.
With PRISM coverage you can check your coverage easily, access your benefits, connect with healthcare providers, and get reimbursed for your claims all in one, easy-to-use app or on the Green Shield Canada website.
Understanding that everyone’s health care needs and finances are unique, PRISM offers you three programs to choose from – PRISM Continuum ®, PRISM Precision ® and PRISM Spectra ®. Within each of these programs are four different plans, each offering varying levels of coverage, so you can decide on the one that’s best for you.
You can choose your health plan to cover out-of-pocket expenses
Being able to choose the coverage that suits you and your family’s requirements ensures that you are not paying a higher premium than necessary or paying for coverage you don’t really want or need. The more basic your requirements, the lower your premiums will be.
Best of all, eight PRISM plans offer guaranteed acceptance – with no medical exam or questionnaire required regardless of your current health status – an important consideration if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. And Canadian residents up to age 80 are eligible to apply for coverage.
PRISM plans offer coverage for:
- Prescription drugs
- Dental care from routine cleanings to orthodontic services, based on your plan choice
- Vision care and hearing aids
- Extended health care like medical equipment, and care from registered specialists and therapists including chiropractors, chiropodists, naturopaths, registered massage therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists and registered psychologists or psychotherapists
- Homecare and nursing or personal support workers, and dieticians
- Travel emergency services for up to 30 days, based on your plan choice
- Hospital accommodation
Your PRISM plan goes to work to make getting healthcare a little easier
With your PRISM health insurance plan, you have access to digital service options like
- The Health Depot that ‘brings the pharmacy to you’ while monitoring your medication safety and, when needed, to help you to optimize your medication therapy
- Maple Telemedicine online access to a Canadian-licensed doctor for medical care within minutes, 24/7 Beacon (iCBT program) no-cost digital therapy for mental health management
- Phzio Canada offers an easy and cost-effective physiotherapy treatment virtually – for qualifying injuries or conditions through the Phzio platform using your computer or mobile device.
Some solutions may be partially or fully covered under your benefits plan – and, where solutions aren’t covered, as a PRISM plan member you still have access to discounted rates for all of these digital clinic services, plus hearing aids, eyeglasses, and vision correction from our partners.
Which PRISM plan is right for you?
Are you new to having health insurance coverage or leaving a group plan? Our chart helps you discover a PRISM plan based on your situation.
PRISM Spectra can be your ideal solution if you and your family are in good health and are looking for supplemental healthcare coverage with a full range of benefits and high benefit maximums. In fact, it may be your best choice for future health care needs.
A medical questionnaire is required to qualify for this extensive coverage. Even if you have an existing health issue, there may be a PRISM Spectra plan for you.
It you prefer guaranteed enrolment, the PRISM Precision program offers four plans that will provide you and your family with a wide array of coverage options from basic services to enhanced dental, including coverage for pre-existing conditions. There is no medical exam or questionnaire required.
Or are you losing your group benefits? PRISM Continuum offers four plans that will provide guaranteed coverage and anyone under age 80 can apply – even those with pre-existing medical conditions– if you, your spouse, or dependents apply within 90days of losing your/their company group health benefits.
Need help finding a PRISM plan that fits you?
For more help selecting the PRISM plan best suited to your health care needs, contact us as 416.601.0429 or 1.800.667.0429 toll-free. Want to learn more about GreenShield? Check out their 2022 Social Impact Report. Want to learn more about SBIS? Just click here.
