Important Information about Alberta Drug Coverage Changes

The Alberta government has passed Bill 11, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No.2), which will affect how certain drug and health benefit claims are coordinated for employees who reside in Alberta.

Effective October 1, 2026, if you are covered under both CEDA’s group benefits plan and certain Alberta government-sponsored health programs, such as Alberta Coverage for Seniors or Non-Group Coverage, you will see a change in the order in which your claims are paid.

Claims for eligible expenses will generally need to be submitted to CEDA’s group benefits plan first. The government-sponsored program will become the payor of last resort and may provide additional coverage after your group plan benefits have been applied.

These changes may also affect eligible dependants who reside in Alberta and are covered under both CEDA’s group benefit plan and certain Alberta government-sponsored health programs. In these situations, eligible claims will generally be submitted to CEDA’s group benefits plan first, with government-sponsored coverage paying after group coverage has been applied.

Manulife will automatically coordinate eligible claims according to the new requirements.

Employees and dependants who are not covered under an affected Alberta government-sponsored program are not expected to see any changes in how their claims are processed.

What does this mean for you?

If you have both an employer or personal benefits plan and a Government of Alberta-sponsored plan, such as Coverage for Seniors or Non-Group Coverage, you may see a change in the order in which your claims are paid.

For eligible drug claims and certain extended health care benefits, claims must be submitted to your Manulife plan before they are submitted to Alberta Coverage for Seniors and/or Alberta Non-Group Coverage.

If you, or your dependants do not have Alberta Coverage, there is no change for you.

What you need to do

• Make sure your pharmacist and other healthcare providers have your Manulife benefit plan information.
• Review your Manulife plan to understand your current coverage.
• Some drugs may require Prior Authorization or Special Authorization before they can be covered under your Manulife plan. If Manulife has not already approved the drug, apply as soon as possible to help avoid claim processing issues or delays.
• You can find Manulife Prior Authorization and Special Authorization forms on Manulife.ca.
• You can use the My Drug Plan tool on Manulife.ca to see what your plan covers.
• You can check your coverage details online at Manulife.ca or through the mobile app.

If you have any questions about your group benefits coverage, contact Manulife at 1-800-268-6195.