Health Care Spending Account for CUPE Facilities Management

Eligible expenses means health care and dental care expenses which qualify as a medical expense under section 118.2(2) of the Canadian Income Tax Act and Regulation 5700, as amended from time to time, or health care and dental care expenses the insurance provider deems as an eligible medical expense under a private health services plan or a group accident and sickness plan, provided eligible expenses are:

• Medically necessary for the treatment of an illness or injury of a covered person
• Incurred for the care of the person while covered under the HCSA
• Not covered under a provincial plan or any other government-sponsored programs; and
• Not prohibited by law from being covered

Eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to the following expenses:

• Drugs and medicines
• Vision care
• Deductibles and coinsurance amounts under both the Health Care and Dental plans and under any other medical or dental plans
• Practitioner services – fees for services of:
  • Acupuncturists
  • Chiropractors
  • Chiropodists/Podiatrists
  • Naturopaths
  • Nurses
  • Optometrists
  • Osteopaths
  • Physiotherapists
  • Practical nurses
  • Psychoanalysts and psychologists
  • Speech therapists
  • Masseurs
• Dental care – preventative, diagnostic, restorative, orthodontic and therapeutic dental care
• Facilities including (but not limited to):
  • Meals, lodging and treatment in a treatment centre for alcoholism or drug addiction
  • Care in a nursing home
  • Care in a self-contained domestic establishment (such as a covered person's home)
  • Payments to a public or licensed private hospital
• Devices and supplies such as:
  • Artificial eye or limbs
  • Crutches
  • Device/equipment designed to pace or monitor the heart of a covered person who suffers from heart disease
  • Device or equipment exclusively to enable a covered person with a mobility impairment to operate a vehicle
  • Electronic speech synthesizer that enables a mute individual to communicate by use of a portable keyboard
  • Hearing aids
  • Hospital bed, including attachments
  • Mechanical device or equipment designed to assist an individual to enter a bath tub or shower
  • Orthopaedic shoes or boots or an insert for shoes or boots made to order
  • Wheelchairs, walkers and limb braces
• Other expenses include:
  • Costs of acquisition, care and maintenance (including food and veterinary care) of an animal, specially trained to assist if a covered person is blind or profoundly deaf
  • Modifications to a home for a covered person who lacks normal physical development or is confined to a wheelchair
  • Costs of medical services and supplies outside of province of residence
  • Diagnostic, laboratory and radiological procedures or services used for maintaining health, preventing disease or assisting in diagnosis
  • Reasonable expenses to locate a donor for a bone marrow or organ transplant and reasonable travelling, board and lodging expense of the donor in respect to the transplant
  • Transportation by ambulance to or from hospital for a covered person
  • Transportation expenses paid to an individual who is in the business of providing transportation services to transport a covered person and one additional person (some conditions apply)
  • Reasonable expenses for meals and accommodation of a covered person and, if required, the accompanying individual (some conditions apply)
  • Reasonable expenses relating to rehabilitative therapy, including training in lip reading and sign language incurred to adjust for a covered person's hearing or speech loss

As Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) decides what expenses are eligible under the HCSA, it is recommended that you access the CRA published list of expenses for the most up to date information. You may access this list by visiting the CRA eligible medical expense website.

If you have a balance in the HCSA at the end of the calendar year, that amount will be carried forward to the next calendar year. Reimbursement will be first paid from the earlier year's credits. At the end of the second calendar year, tax laws require that any credits remaining from the previous year be forfeited.

An eligible expense is allocated to the plan year in which it is incurred. An eligible expense is incurred on the date the services are received or on the date supplies are purchased or rented. Therefore, eligible expenses incurred in one plan year may not be claimed against the plan credits allocated for the next plan year.

The best way to make many claims is to log onto the Manulife secure website. Manulife is the administrator of the HCSA. You'll have to register online, if you haven't yet done so. To register you will need your Plan Contract Number (87220) and your Member Certificate Number (your Western ID number). This information is on your Manulife card.

You can also make a claim using the Group Benefits Extended Health Care Claim Form, also available on the Manulife self-service website, and in hard copy from Human Resource Services in Room 4159, Support Services Building. On the form, be sure to check the box indicating you want your Health Care Spending Account to be used.

• Who is eligible?
• How do I make a claim?
• What type of health-related expenses may I claim under the HCSA?
• How do I find out more information about the HCSA?
• How do I know my HCSA balance?
• Where do I send my completed HCSA forms?
• May I carry forward unspent HCSA funds to the next year?
• How important is the effective date of a medical or dental expense in relation to the year in which the claim is made?
• Will Manulife automatically reimburse me from my HCSA for medical and dental expenses not fully covered under my Extended Health and Dental coverage with Manulife, such as the 15% co-insurance and vision care claim amounts in excess of the two year maximum?
• If my spouse is a member of a HCSA eligible employee group, do we each have a HCSA?
• Is there a time limit to submit claims under the HCSA?
• How will the HCSA tie in with coordination of benefits through my spouse/partner’s health and dental coverage?

Who is eligible?

CUPE Facilities Management regular, full-time employees are eligible for the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA). 

How do I make a claim?

The best way to make many claims is to log onto the Manulife secure website. Manulife is the administrator of the HCSA. You'll have to register online, if you haven't yet done so. You can also make a claim using the Group Benefits Extended Health Care Claim Form, also available on the Manulife self-service website, and in hard copy from Human Resource Services in Room 4159, Support Services Building. On the form, be sure to check the box indicating you want your Health Care Spending Account to be used.

What type of health-related expenses may I claim under the HCSA?

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) defines which expenses can be reimbursed using your HCSA. These would include any 15% co-insurance you pay, medical practitioner expenses over the per visit limit, excess vision care costs, medical/dental expenses not covered by your regular Extended Health and Dental Plan (such as orthodontics). Visit the CRA website to see a list of eligible expenses. Note that if you receive HCSA reimbursement for an expense, you cannot also claim the CRA medical expense tax credit for the same expense.

How do I find out more information about the HCSA?

You should contact Manulife Financial directly at 1-866-896-8515.

How do I know my HCSA balance?

To see the current balance in your Health Care Spending Account, visit the Manulife Financial website. You will need information from your Manulife card (plan contract number and employee number) as well as your Manulife password. Once logged in, click on “My Benefits”. You will see carry forward, claims, and current balance. You may also call Manulife Financial directly at 1-866-896-8515.

Where do I send my completed HCSA forms?

Completed forms get sent to Manulife. You will find the address at the end of the form.

May I carry forward unspent HCSA funds to the next year?

Unused credits will be carried forward and added to any credits for the following calendar year. At the end of the second calendar year, tax laws require that any credits remaining from the previous year's allocation be forfeited. No cash-outs of HCSA funds are permitted.

How important is the effective date of a medical or dental expense in relation to the year in which the claim is made?

This is very important. You may not use this year's funds to pay a previous year' expenses. For example, in January 2025, you cannot claim reimbursement for 2024 expenses from your 2025 allotment. Those 2024 expenses however, can be claimed from your 2024 balance and your 2023 carryover, with your 2023 carryover being utilized first.

Will Manulife automatically reimburse me from my HCSA for medical and dental expenses not fully covered under my Extended Health and Dental coverage with Manulife, such as the 15% co-insurance and vision care claim amounts in excess of the two year maximum?

Yes, if you indicate on the claim form, then Manulife will first process your claim using your Extended Health Care and Dental entitlements, and then pay the rest from any balance in your HCSA.

If my spouse is a member of a HCSA eligible employee group, do we each have a HCSA?

Yes.

Is there a time limit to submit claims under the HCSA?

All claims should be submitted during the same plan year in which you paid the expense. However, your HCSA has a grace period, which allows up to 90 days after December 31st for Manulife to receive expenses incurred during the previous year.

How will the HCSA tie in with coordination of benefits through my spouse/partner's health and dental coverage?

In order to take full advantage of the benefits available to you, you should coordinate your coverage with other plans that you may be covered under prior to submitting to your Health Care Spending Account.