Guaranteed Issue Enhanced

Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Health & Dental Insurance

We’re happy to announce that we can now offer Canadians a new “no medical” health insurance plan from Manulife called Guaranteed Issue Enhanced.

What is “Guaranteed Issue”?

Guaranteed issue health insurance is health and dental insurance with guaranteed acceptance. There are no medical questions asked, and everyone automatically qualifies for coverage, regardless of their state of health.

Also referred to as “no medical insurance”, guaranteed health insurance is ideal for people with pre-existing medical conditions who need health, dental and vision care benefits.

Guaranteed Issue versus Underwritten Plans

Most personal (individual) health and dental plans are underwritten. The process of underwriting involves answering medical questions as well as an investigation into the medical background of the applicants. Applicants who have medical conditions that may require prescription drug coverage often see their applications being declined, or they may receive a counter offer where they are offered coverage along with exclusions for those medical conditions.

Guaranteed issue plans, though, are not underwritten. Everyone who applies is automatically accepted and can get coverage.

Having said all this, why bother with an underwritten plan? The answer is that annual maximums and coverage amounts for underwritten plans tend to be substantially higher than those of most typical guaranteed issue plans. This is especially true with prescription drug maximums.

Which leads us into our next point: what makes this relatively new Manulife Guaranteed Issue Enhanced plan so special are the high prescription drug maximums (the highest amount of drug coverage for most other Canadian personal guaranteed issue plans),

Guaranteed Issue versus Conversion Plans

There is a special type of guaranteed issue health insurance called conversion plans. These conversion plans are for people who have recently lost their employee benefits (typically within 90 days of loss of employement).

If you have not recently lost group benefits then you will not qualify for a conversion plan. Standard guaranteed issue plans, therefore, are you only benefit plan option if you want coverage for pre-existing health conditions.

Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Coverage Summary

The following summarizes the type of coverage available via the Manulife Guaranteed Issue Enhanced plan. For more information (overview, plan details, etc.) see the next section below.

  • Prescription drug coverage: overall maximum of $2,500 per year.
  • Dental services: 80% of eligible costs (exams, scalings, cleanings, fillings, x-rays, etc.).
  • Vision care: $200 every 2 years for lenses, frames, contact lenses, laser eye surgery.
  • Mental health therapy: psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers and speech therapists.
  • Registered therapists/specialists:  acupuncturists, chiropractors, dieticians, osteopaths, podiatrists, naturopaths, chiropodists, massage therapists and physiotherapists.
  • Medical equipment/supplies: canes, crutches, oxygen, artificial limbs (prosthetics).
  • Orthotics: maximum of $250 every 2 years.
  • Hearing aids: maximum of $500 every 5 years.
  • Nursing: coverage for RNs (registered nurses) and RPNs (registered practical nurses).
  • Emergency medical travel: $5 million per person, 10 day per trip with unlimited number of trips.

Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Plan – Helpful Links

Please use the following links for more information:

Conclusion

We hope you found this article about Manulife’s Guaranteed Issue Enhanced plan helpful.

If you want some advice about “no medical” health and dental plans please contact us. Our experienced Canadian insurance brokers are here to help!

Email Share Tweet Share