Whether your team is taking off for vacation or travelling for work, your group plan doesn’t have to stay behind. In fact, your plan can make it easier and more affordable for employees to take care of their health, relax and recharge while they’re abroad.
To better understand how your group plan can make all the difference during your team’s travels, let’s unpack some of the key benefits, from emergency medical coverage to Wellness Spending Accounts.
Emergency medical coverage
If your employee experiences a medical emergency while travelling, emergency medical care can protect them from the financial costs of unexpected injuries and illnesses.
No matter where they are in the world, this coverage can help them manage unforeseen expenses so they can focus on recovering, not bills.
Depending on your plan and eligibility, coverage may include:
- Ambulance services
- Hospital services
- Prescription drugs
- Medical evacuation
- Coverage for up to $5 million
- Support for pre-existing conditions
- Access to 24/7 emergency travel assistance
- The costs from returning home due to a medical emergency
- Health care professional expenses
- Diagnostic services
- Medical appliances
- Emergency dental services
- Meals and accommodations
- Return of dependents, pets, personal items and vehicles
Encourage your employees to review their travel insurance coverage before they travel. Clear communication about limits, exclusions and any pre-travel requirements helps avoid confusion down the road.
Prescription drug coverage
Before leaving the country, it’s always a good idea to check what vaccinations or medications are required or recommended in your destination. You can find this information on the Government of Canada website. Many group plans cover travel-related medications under prescription drug coverage.
Depending on your plan, this may include:
- Preventive vaccines (e.g., Hepatitis A/B, typhoid, yellow fever)
- Anti-malaria medication
- Motion sickness treatments
- Antibiotics for traveller’s diarrhea
- Insect bite treatments
Employees, who need to refill regular prescriptions before leaving the country, can often do so under their existing drug coverage as well.
Health Spending Account
A Health Spending Account (HSA) is an employer-funded account that employees can use to pay for eligible health and dental expenses not covered by their plan or their spouse’s plan. It’s a flexible way to cover extra costs or nice-to-haves. Eligible HSA expenses are decided by the Canadian Revenue Agency.
Some ways employees can use their HSA for travel include:
- Prescription sunglasses
- Travel vaccinations (if not covered under core benefits)
- Over-the-counter medications with a prescription (if not covered under core benefits)
If you have a group plan with Alberta Blue Cross®, you can view a list of eligible HSA expenses by signing in to our member site, clicking on “Health Spending Account” and then selecting “Allowable expenses.”
Wellness Spending Account
A Wellness Spending Account (WSA) is a taxable benefit designed to support broader health and wellbeing goals. While coverage depends on how your plan is set up, many WSAs can be used to support meaningful time away or help cover costs at home.
Some examples of eligible WSA expenses include:
- All-inclusive resort or cruise ship fees
- Boats and boating fees
- Cabin rental
- Camping equipment and fees
- Car rentals
- Dirt biking/motocross equipment
- Entertainment shows
- Fishing and hunting licenses
- Fishing equipment
- Fitness classes or drop-in gym passes while abroad
- Flights
- Hotel accommodations
- Items associated with a hobby (ex. camera)
- Language or cooking classes during extended stays
- Motorboats
- Outdoor gear for active travel
- Retreats or travel that support mental wellness
- Sailboats/sailboat parts/sailing related fees and expenses
- Snowmobile equipment and trail fees
- Tent trailers, RVs
- Theme park tickets
- Trail ride fees
- Travel insurance
If employees are leaving kids at home, they may also be able to claim:
- Day camps and day programs
- Day care and after school care
- Nanny fees
Encourage your team to review their WSA details before making any purchases, as coverage varies. As an employer, you can choose which expenses are eligible within the WSA.
Help your team understand how to use their group plan abroad
Help your employees feel confident about accessing their benefits abroad by regularly sharing what the plan covers.
Here are a few simple ways you can keep your team informed:
- Share company-wide emails with key benefit reminders, especially before peak travel seasons
- Equip managers with quick reference points to bring up in team meetings
- Update your intranet with current benefit resources
- Offer lunch and learns or virtual sessions before major holidays
- Share visual tools like infographics or short explainer videos
- Ask your benefits provider if they have any materials you can use or customize. If you have a group plan with Alberta Blue Cross®, your sales representative can provide resources and support to help your employees better understand their benefits.
How competitive benefit plans build employee trust and loyalty
Supporting employees while they’re away from work shows that you care about their wellbeing. And that support pays off.
According to Benefits Canada, 93% of employees shared that wellbeing is just as important as their salary. A study by Forbes Advisor reinforces this, revealing that 40% of employers say employees leave their job to find a role that offers better employee benefits.
By going the extra mile for your team and offering competitive benefits (like coverage that supports them abroad), you can build a loyal workforce. Discover additional tips on how you can retain top talent with your group benefit plan.
Looking to advance employee wellbeing in your organization?
Read our latest report, “Creating a high performing workforce: The importance of a wellbeing strategy,” to find out what drives employee wellbeing and helps teams thrive.
