Blue Cross Canada, or The Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans (CABCP) is comprised of 7 regional not-for-profit health and travel insurance providers, and offers group coverage plans for businesses and supplemental plans for individuals with needs not covered by private or Canadian universal health coverage.
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Blue Cross Canada
| Founded | 1939 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Etobicoke, Ontario |
| Insurance Products | Health benefits, Dental benefits, Travel insurance, & Health insurance |
| Provinces Licensed | AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NWT, NS, NU, ON, PEI, QC, SK, YT |
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Company Overview
Blue Cross Insurance offers group benefit plans that include benefit packages for life and accidental death coverage, drug and other health services needs and the establishment of group Health Spending Accounts.
The company also provides individual clients with personal health coverage and a wide range of travel insurance plans, ensuring that everyone in Ontario has access to risk coverage. This has made them a trusted name in the business, as has their commitment to working with the brokers that facilitate transactions between the company and their clients.
Canadians rely on Blue Cross for the following:
- Travel insurance plans with a wide variety of options for individuals
- Group plans for businesses and organizations that are simple to build as well as affordable
- Personal health insurance that allows clients to receive services not covered by the OHIP (Ontario’s public health care provider)
Advantages of Blue Cross Insurance
Blue Cross offers a range of plans for most budgets, making it an accessible company for a wide range of Canadians in Ontario. It also boasts a number of service that position the company as a customer-first insurance provider, like assistance service exclusives for members and a dedicated helpline for customer complaint mediation.
Backing up this mission is Blue Cross’s commitment to providing coverage to areas that clients may not get coverage through Ontario’s public health plans or a person’s insurance through their place of employment. The company’s stated mission is to provide customers the opportunity to get coverage for anything health-related. The advantages of using a plan from Blue Cross include:
- A huge list of available coverage options for travelers: Blue Cross aims to make any type of traveler able to travel with the peace of mind that comes with knowing they’re set if anything unpredictable crops up. This means that travelers can choose from a list that includes coverage for lost baggage, canceled flights and much more without spending too much on insurance.
- Customizable group and individual policy options: Group plans are not always as easy to build and provide risk protection for the services that the group actually needs as they are with Blue Cross Insurance. The pick-and-mix set-up of the company’s available group benefit packages are friendly to employers and employees alike. In addition, while many insurers focus on group insurance or individual coverage, Blue Cross does a great job offering benefits for both.
- The company’s personal insurance plans (travel and health) are budget-friendly: Blue Cross really takes the fact to heart that their personal insurance policies are often used to supplement other plans. They offer affordable choices as to the extent of the additional travel or health insurance coverage that a person wants, without making it cost-prohibitive.
Blue Cross Insurance Products
Blue Cross Insurance provides group plans for businesses, as well as travel and health insurance policies for individuals who need them. Coverage varies by province, so please refer to Blue Cross plans by region for detailed information.
Group Insurance Options
Blue Cross Insurance provide a wide range of ways to build a group plan that works for the members of a business or organization (i.e. “the group”).
Group Life
Master policies can include:
- Basic life insurance
- Dependent life insurance for families of the group member
- Coverage and financial protection for critical illness
- Coverage for accidental death and dismemberment
- Group disability
Group Health and Wellness
Group health is where Blue Cross Insurance shines, offering coverage in the following areas:
- Extended health care benefits specifically for group members with chronic illnesses
- inConfidence, a program that provides direct access to critical health counseling services 24/7 for employees and their families
- My Good Health, a digital portal for group members to compile and access their health information as well as that of their family members
- Second Opinion, a program where group members in need can have their cases reviewed by medical specialists in a given field
All this is in addition to the health coverage you’d expect out of a group health plan, as well as an extensive benefits package for prescription costs.
Travel Insurance
One area where Blue Cross Insurance proves to be unique is in its options for travelers:
- Snowbirds traveling only during winter
- A single trip
- Short-stay frequent travelers
- Visitors to Canada
- Families
- Extended-stay frequent travelers
- Students studying abroad
- Canadians traveling within Canadian territory
- Global Affairs Canada employees
With so many different types of travelers having plans targeted specifically at them, Blue Cross Insurance gives travelers a variety of options to find benefits that fit their needs. Travelers are insured for up to 5 million dollars with Blue Cross Travel Insurance.
Health Insurance
Because health insurance for an individual through Blue Cross is meant to target coverage options and populations not covered by standard plans—either through OHIP or through a separate group plan, the company focuses on the following:
- People who are Self-employed
- Small business employees
- People without access to group benefits
- Recent immigrants
- Students and recent graduates
- Retired or planning retirement
Government Plans
Blue Cross also advertises group plans tailored to the needs of government employees and the members of federal organization, as a federal partner since the company was founded in 1943.
Blue Cross Insurance by Province
- Pacific Blue Cross: Vancouver, British Columbia – 1 888-275-4672
- Alberta Blue Cross: Edmonton, Alberta – 1 800 661-6995
- Saskatchewan Blue Cross: Saskatoon, Saskatoon – 1 800 667-6853
- Manitoba Blue Cross: Winnipeg, Manitoba – Toll-free: 1 800 873-2583
- Ontario Blue Cross (Individual Coverage): Etobicoke, Ontario, 1 866 732-2583
- Medavie Blue Cross (Group Coverage – Ontario): Etobicoke, Ontario – 1 800 355-9133
- Quebec Blue Cross (Individual Coverage): Montreal, Quebec – 1 877 909-7686
- Medavie Blue Cross (Group Coverage – Quebec): Montreal, Quebec – 1 888 588-1212
- Medavie Blue Cross (Atlantic Canada): Moncton, New Brunswick – 1 800 667-4511
Need an Insurance Quote?
Get a Quote nowLet Mitchell Whale Insurance Brokers do the comparison shopping for you – with quotes from over 40 insurance companies in Ontario rnSpeak with a broker today: 1-800-731-2228
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Blue Cross Canada Reviews
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
Worst Insurance ever!! I tried to submit a claim for my Health Spending Account before purchasing the item I made sure to call them twice and asked if I could but that item they said "YES"! So I bought the items I need and when I submit the receipt I called them so they can walk me through the process of how to do it. Their agents are polite and helpful with all my queries, but my claim was rejected!!! They said it's not covered under my insurance! I have to explain to them that I'm I wanted to use my HSA for that purchase and that before buying the item I spoke to their agent to ask if it was allowable and they said yes. To make to story short it seems like they don't want to PAY the ITEM that you purchased!! It's almost a mount now and I haven't heard from them if they are going to refund the items I bought!!! They're only good at COLLECTING MONEY!!!!
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
Blue Cross Travel Insurance Loopholes: buyer beware
I filled out an online Travel Medical application, including the medical questions. The price was good. Before leaving I decided to speak to a live person to make sure that everything was accurate because we all know examples of insurance being void. The agent said it was but added some notes to my file. A week later I called again to make sure my notes were complete and they were. However, this agent told me that because I had not paid the extra for my heart issues as a pre-existing condition, my insurance would in fact be null and void. She billed me for it on the spot for that part: another $150. Nowhere in the online application is there a place to mention a pre-existing condition. This agent actually confessed that she did not know what the online application looked like, and that in her opinion there should be a box for this as in: “Have you had this condition for longer than…” The ultimate deception.
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
Blue cross medavie: a horrid company that borders on scam
Awful…cr**….s***….nobody has any idea what they’re doing. As soon as I get back to Toronto, they’ll be hearing from my attorney and this will cost them far more than the paltry amount I am claiming,
.
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
The most awful service that I have ever met
It is my advice for you, please try to avoid any contact with this company. After a half year of conversations, I simply cannot get any compensation regarding my claim. After my 10th call, I stopped counting my tries to solve the problem. They every time redirect my calls (approximate time of waiting is 30-40 min) to another agent and promise that everything going to be fine and they will fix this. It looks like an endless story for me even though I provide everything from my side.
To summarize, If you have too much free time and want to train your stress resistance, you are welcome to have a deal with Blue Cross!!!
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
HORRIBLE!
Had to phone 5 different times before someone could give me an answer! They refused to give my information to me as well! Absurd.
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
Pacific Blue Cross Travel Insurance is a scam
I was trying to find out the details of the trip interruption/travel insurance they offer only to find bullet point highlights of what they offer. Nowhere on their website can you find what’s included and what’s excluded until after you buy the policy. I stupidly bought the policy, received the booklet and found out that if your airlines, hotel, condo or where ever you stay offers a credit then they don’t pay out. Tried to cancel it after phoning. First time no answer, second time, let me check with may manager and phone you back. No return call. Finally on the third attempt they guy says the manager says no refund. Apparently you check a box that says no refund before buying it.
Total scam. We won’t tell you what we exclude until after you buy the product which by the way has no refund. F off!
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
Do their best to not cover anything
They will find a reason to not cover everything. Doctors note required for them to pay less than 50% of services like massage therapy, Physio, Acupuncture, etc. Complete joke. With all the terrible reviews on here it is sad that they don’t make any changes to their piss poor policies.
Rating: .5
.5 /5 stars
What a nightmare
I needed to make a change my policy which hadn’t been activated yet The customer service agent was lovely but totally incompetent .After 1 1/2 hours she sent me the same thing as I had before. Back on the phone on hold for another 20 minutes The new agent sorted it out quickly but will never use them again horrendous
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Buy another insurance
They’re useless, it’s a scam-like operation. I plan on getting something else as my main medical insurance.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Don’t buy from BlueCross
I am a customer not by choice but by group plan. Their customer service is 0 – NOBODY answers the calls (for over the week calling at different times).There is NOBODY! If you have a problem with insurance – too bad because nobody will help you.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Won’t cover prescribed medication
Why the hell do I pay premiums if you can’t even cover my prescriptions when I need them. An absolute joke and a scam. Shame on you.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
WORST Insurance Company ever…DONT USE!
I went to Florida last November and during, had a minor accident while riding a scooter. Had sprains, cuts and abrasions requiring stitches and emergency treatment. I refused an ambulance, x-rays and crutches as I didn’t feel they were necessary and my total hospital bill was $1800 USD which i paid. I submitted the claim in January of 2021 and its now the end of June where the claims people contradict themselves and continue to stall. Totally ridiculous and horrible treatment from this company who are notorious for claims payment avoidance (I wish I read these reviews before!).
DO NOT USE THESE AbSOLUTE AWFUL insurance provider who hides behind a relatively good reputation US division.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Don’t buy Blue Cross the worst insurance
I am an international student. Most international students are compelled to pay the insurance because it’s tied to tuition fees. When you really need to use the coverage, you will find it hardly cover the things you need. The list of coverage says it covers fees related to COVID-19, but it even don’t cover serum test for COVID-19. The most disgusting thing is, when international students leave Canada due to COVID-19, this insurance release some regulations which prevent you to opt out of this insurance. They require you to provide some documents you can’t easily get. It’s ridiculous that you are not in Canada, but you have to pay the insurance in Canada. They force you to buy a useless insurance policy. They are robbers
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Worst insurance provider out there
They put my March claim ‘on hold’ for no reason. While on hold they transferred my health care spending money to a place where I can’t access it for said claim. Theiving buggers. I pay for these benefits yet they make them impossible to use. Saved up 2 yrs of health care spending for my glasses only to have them sneakily transfer it elsewhere so I can’t access it now. Even my employer didn’t know they backdated claims 3 months to sneak in this change. They even admitted it but refused to correct their error. Now I have to pay the cost out of pocket on benefits I was covered for. Horrendous company dishonest and shady and sneaky. Do not give them your money. You will never be able to use your own benefits.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
CTFT
I cannot say enough bad things about this company. They refuse to be accountable for their mistakes and when they finally realize they made the error, they refuse to fix the problem……oops sorry you’re screwed!! (not really soory
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Zero Stars
This is the absolute worst insurance company I have dealt with in my entire life. Their customer service is lousy and it takes them almost a month to process a claim for glasses that has all paperwork and has been submitted electronically. Run don’t walk away from them!!!
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Do not use Vancouver bluecross
This place is a joke. I have been dealing with them since October and it has been a nightmare! From lost paperwork to no one answering their phones and then it take 2 weeks to get a call back. Tried emails telephone it does matter they just don’t give a shit. I get better customer service from a 12 year old working at McDonald’s. Please do yourself a favor and spend your money where people actually care about you. Shame on them for being so ignorant to the people who pay the it wage.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Absolute Garbage.
I am thoroughly appalled at Bluecross customer services. This horrifically disorganized company is honestly garbage and a complete waste of anyones investment. If you can find benefits with any other provider, anything is better then Bluecross. Any time you have an issue and need to speak with someone, you’ll have 5 different reps replying in one email chain, all of which just read off of a script to disuade you from getting any touch with anyone who has actual authority to help you with your situation. I’m been trying for years to get more information about my dental coverage, why it’s so bad and what else can I do, and just get so frustrated I end up giving up half way through the process because nobody has an interest in actually helping you with your issue, they just want your money and for you to fuck off. The same thing goes for some RMT claims I’ve been trying to deal with – just this morning I was transferred to 6 different representatives, passing me back and forth between customer services and account managers and not one person would take a proper second to help me with my issue. I ended up finally breaking one of them into emailing a higher up authority figure for assistance, only after a 10 minute push and pull conversation and me having to continuously calm them down from losing their temper. What kind of customer service does this insurance provider honestly care to give? Onviously they have a high turn over and a lot of angry customers because their whole call centre cannot make any important changes and no one actually knows what to do when someone stands strong in their desires to fix their plan. Bluecross is trash, go to literally any other provider if you have the option.
Rating: 2
2 /5 stars
Doesn’t seem to care.
I called customer service to confirm my claim cheques were sent asap, after Blue Cross sent them to the incorrect previous address. I was asking questions trying to get to the bottom of it, and the rep was not having it. She told me she couldn’t tell me why and then hung up on me.
The year is 2021 and Blue Cross doesn’t do direct deposit. Get with the times and stop destroying the planet in order to send your cheques in the mail.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Worst customer service
Me and my family are on a portability plan with AB Bluecross and I called them to see if I could open an individual policy for my son. The female staff kept asking questions and doubtful about my son and asked “What is the problem with your son?”. I was shocked to hear that question & felt like I am trying to coverup something about my son from Bluecross. I will never ever go to AB Blue cross, instead will go to other insurers if I have to as there is nothing to hide anything from them. I am thinking of cancelling my portability plan with AB Blue cross.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Stay away from Medavie Bluecross!
My company moved from Greatwest life (Canada Life) to Medavie Blue cross last year.. and it was a huge mistake!!
Medavie is soooooo super complicated and confusing you cant even imagine.. i was with Canada life for 6 years and never had any issue either its dental, vision, massage or drugs.. but these Medavie guys are only there to eat our money every month but they literally cry if we claim anything.. they make thing sooo difficult that you cant even say anything, it takes you weeks to understand what they actually meant..
They make sure you get ripped really good for whatever you claim… they are crooks.. stay away from them!!
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Blue Cross (Canada – ONT) routinely rips-off health service providers by not paying pre-approved claims
I have provided health services to the local Military and Veteran community for years. These services were all pre-approved including the number of treatments and cost, and were directly billed to Blue Cross. Over the years, many claims remained unpaid despite extreme efforts to follow-up with them, sort out THEIR administrative issues, and get paid. More recently they decided to send an auditor out. I spent the day with them proving treatments had occurred via file audit. In the end, they claimed that there was no evidence treatment had occurred and therefore I owed them back thousands of dollars. I spent many hours following up with this bogus audit. They has taken photocopies of the charts – proving the treatments and yet still said they did not exist. They claimed “over charging” with no evidence. Despite me re-sending all necessary documents including offering client and local CFB statements that the treatments had occurred, they still did not consider any of the facts. Fast forward over 2 years without resolution, they are now refusing to pay my private paying (civilian) clients’ reimbursements and what’s worse is they tell the client I am not a registered therapist. I am a legally licensed and registered therapist in good standing with my college! What they are not telling people is that they are not allowing me to be registered with THEM as a provider on their list. They are like the mob! Trying to bully and blackmail me into paying them thousands of dollars just for the privilege of seeing clients that pay for extended health benefits through Blue Cross.
I know I am not the only provider to experience this issue and behaviour with Blue Cross. I have spoken to several, but they are afraid to say anything publicly for fear of going up against a shady insurance giant. Sadly, there is little to no recourse for our industry with respect to dealing with their inappropriate practices.
Please do not buy your insurance with Blue Cross and support this type of company. If you work for a large company that uses Blue Cross as its provider of extended health benefits, encourage them to change providers. If your claim has been denied, take it to the Ontario Ombudsmen at www.olhi.ca and have them investigate the practices of Blue Cross. This needs to change!
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
get any other insurance
it doesn’t mater what claim you submit they come up with a reason even after talking to them about it. to not cover it.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Terrible Service in Quebec
Denied my drug claim, stating it was a “duplicate service that was paid on a previous submission”. I got the pharmacy to call and let the company know that I paid and not them, but all they said was they’ll “look into it”. I haven’t seen any money and it’s been weeks. Would never recommend this company, I had to pay $65 out of pocket for their mistake and they won’t reimburse me.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Won’t cover medications i need to get better
Terrible insurance company, they still work from snail mail and haven’t been able to cover half of the prescriptions I need to stop being sick.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
No Blue Cross Travel Insurance
Blue Cross partner CanAssist denied my claim for Air Canada fare cancelled due to Covid arguing that the airline company offer of a 1-year credit is full compensation. I haven’t even accept the credit fro airline.If I do,the chances a being able to use the credit is zero given the current situation. They also provided misleading information on the claim process when first contacted that resulted in a delay of the claim processing by several months.
Rating: 2
2 /5 stars
Blue Cross/CanAssist weaseled out of paying trip cancellation costs
Blue Cross partner CanAssist denied our claim for air fares cancelled due to Covid arguing that the airline company offer of a 1-year credit is full compensation. The chances a being able to use the credit are approaching zero given the current situation. They also provided misleading information on the claim process when first contacted that resulted in a delay of the claim processing by several months.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Claim took 6 weeks to get processed
Bad customer service
Claim took 6 weeks to get processed
I had to open two online cases and call 4 times
I dont recommend
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Terrible
Gave me coverage I did not want for drugs. Incredibly complicated website and horrible customer service !
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
You have to jump through hoops, plead and cry to get reimbursed money owed.
One star is too generous for this company, I have had so much trouble getting reimbursements owed to me. I feel like I am criminal trying to defraud the company each time I have a claim outside of the routine claims. Claims that are rejected are extremely difficult to resolve, common sense is not something this company uses. I imagine most people simply give up trying to resolve contested claims as the company wears you down until you are so frustrated, you don’t have the energy or will to pursue the money owed to you. I have no choice in medical insurance as this is the company my employer uses, if it was my decision I would NOT use Bluecross,
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Inaccessible
Of course the app and the online portal are both inaccessible. I never have any issue registering on any sites other than for an insurance company. My thought is that it is in hopes that you will give up and they won’t have to pay, despite that I have already paid the premium.
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
Terrible coverage
I had to see a psychologist to assist my daughter with a disability claim. I provided a receipt to Blue Cross for $ 1000.00 and my plan only reimbursed $ 60.00. This has left my unable to pay my credit card and now paying high interest rate! They insist on yearly prescription for a lousy $ 15.00 month massage coverage. I pay $ 25.00 for the prescription. Ridiculous. Go with anyone else for coverage!!
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
They ripped me off!
These guys ripped me off!
Long story short is by the Canadian laws, if you had travel insurance then you’ve got provincial insurance covering you, these insurance companies must refund you the rest of the time you have bought from them!
I was literally broken then, and finally had our OHIP but these guys refused to refund us even though I extended our insurance with them 1 or 2 weeks before that!
Their claim for not refunding us was that we made a claim one time for my daughter when she got sick and took her to the emergency! However, that was in the old contract, not the new one!
So when I spoke to a manager on the phone and explained to her that I just extended my insurance to technically it’s a new one, she replied that ‘you’re right, but this is a trick in our policy and I can’t help you!’
Well, the amount that they were supposed to refund me was about $300. It’s not much! But back then, I was literally broken! I used to work 14 hours a day at two jobs to feed my daughter and wife and that $300 made lots of difference to me!
Anyway, I’m happy to say that I know more than 25 people from family and friends who came to Canada for long and short visits and the first thing I’d advise them not to do is getting their insurance from the blue cross!
It’ll always be one of the first things I’d tell anyone coming to Canada not to get their insurance from this company!
Rating: 5
5 /5 stars
Great Company for Travel Insurance
Had a short stay hospital claim for my wife a few years back and paid by Blue Cross with no hassle what so ever. Very professional and would highly recommend.
Rating: 0.5
0.5 /5 stars
Moved to another province
After 18 years with Alberta Blue Cross I moved to BC. They will not waive waiting periods for dental.
Rating: 0.5
0.5 /5 stars
Terrible!
Submitted a claim in September and were told 5-10 business days to deposit it into our account- nothing.
Called and advised it was not deposited and confirmed banking info and they said it was processed and deposited on September 19. Said they would trace it and advise- no return call. Made multiple calls and were told they “were still tracing it”. Called today (Tuesday, October 30) and was told it it was being processed and would be sent out by cheque on Thursday (November 1).
Requested interest for two months that the bank or Blue Cross had earned on our money and was told “No”.
Supervisor in Contact Centre would only identify herself as “Laura L.”
I have NEVER refused to provide my name to a client.
Blue Cross has provided the worst customer service I have ever experienced!
Rating: 1
1 /5 stars
terrible service
This is the third time we have had issues getting reimbursed promptly. Twice they have lost the paperwork and than denied getting it even though we had a confirmation from our dentist. This las time we have been waiting 3 weeks for a simple reimbursement for glasses. When we called they said they were working on mid June billings this is now early August. We will be cancelling our policy very poor customer service.
Rating: 0.5
0.5 /5 stars
scam, fraud
My wife has a travel insurance and is taking medications in the hospital and will not be able to get back from her visit ontime, as per all the hospital reports, she has to be under monitoring and she had a kidney attack and her doctor strongly recommended that she needs more time to be recovered and she will not able to travel (travel duration is 20 hours). we submitted all the reports from the hospital and labs to the blue cross travel insurance and they have denied the claim knowing that we are not asking for medical benefits but only cancellation or delay the reservation. since many days I am discussing with them with no use. They sent me email only saying that their medical team found that she is fit to travel. she is now in the hospital and she is supposed to get back tomorrow and they say that she is fit. I asked them to send me documents on what basis they took their decision but they refused.
Someone tells me how a person in the hospital and he is fit to travel !!
I don’t recommend them as honest travel insurance,
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