Drug prescription extension for extended travelling period on university business

As per the university’s contract with Sun Life, payments for any single purchase are limited to the cost of a supply that can reasonably be used in a 34 day period, or in the case of maintenance drugs, up to 100 days as ordered by a physician. If you expect to be out of the country for longer than three months on university business, a drug prescription extension can be made in order for you to purchase more than the 100-day supply at one time.

Regardless of the prescription your doctor writes for you (e.g., they write a prescription to be filled for six months at a time), you are required to contact your benefits administrator prior to getting that prescription filled so they can contact Sun Life and have the drug prescription extension set up for you.

Send drug extension requests to connectionpoint@usask.ca at least two weeks prior to your departure date and include the following information:

Subject line: Drug extension request
Name:
Member ID:
DIN (drug identification number):
Length required:
Date leaving the country:

You will be notified when the drug extension has been approved and set up, which is typically within five business days. Once you have been notified of the approval, you may then have the prescription filled for the extended leave.

If the prescription is filled prior to receiving notification of the approved extension, you will be responsible for any additional costs.

This drug extension is set up as a one-time transaction and will have an expiry date, usually the day you expect to leave the province. Once home, if you expect to leave again for another extended leave, please contact your benefits administrator to set up a new drug extension.

In the case of a medical emergency, you or someone with you must contact Sun Life’s emergency travel assistance provider, Global Excel Management (GEM) immediately. Do not call Sun Life or the university prior to contacting GEM regarding your emergency. Sun Life and the university cannot call GEM on your behalf.

If contact with GEM cannot be made before services are provided, contact with GEM must be made as soon as possible afterwards. If contact is not made and emergency services are provided in circumstances where contact could have reasonably been made, Sun Life has the right to deny or limit payments for all expenses related to that emergency.

GEM has immediate access to an international medical network, providing the required assistance for any emergency, 24/7. They work with medical professionals to ensure you have the best care possible. Services include co-ordinating travel arrangements if required (transfer to hospitals, medical repatriation), translation services, arranging for payment of services with Sun Life and co-ordinating with your provincial coverage.

All invasive and investigative procedures (ie. any surgery, angiogram, MRI, PET scan, CAT scan) must be pre-authorized by GEM prior to being performed, except in extreme circumstances where surgery is performed on an emergency basis immediately following admission to a hospital.

Please keep in mind that after the emergency has occurred and you are stable to travel, depending on the severity of your emergency and if you need further recovery time, you may be required to return home for the remainder of that recovery. As per our contract with Sun Life, refusal to return home may result in claims related to your recovery being rejected.

Emergency Travel Contract Information

A pre-existing condition is any medical condition, or symptoms for which medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment was recommended or received by a doctor or other practitioner at any time prior to the departure date of travel

Although the university's Out-of-Canada Medical benefit does not have a pre-existing condition clause in its policy, it only covers medical services required as the result of an emergency. Emergency situations would generally be unforeseen events that a prudent person would not reasonably expect to occur during travel. When a person has a chronic condition, emergency services do not include treatment provided as part of an established management program that existed prior to the person leaving the province where the person lives.

For non-emergent occurrences (e.g. visiting a paramedical practitioner - chiro, massage therapist, etc.), you are not required to contact GEM. You may submit your claim to Sun Life through your regular extended health care plan. Please be advised that you will be reimbursed based on the reasonable and customary expenses for the same service in Saskatchewan and you will be responsible for the cost of any non-emergency services incurred outside Canada that are in excess of this. Paper submission is required for these claims, and the expense will be reimbursed based on the prevailing exchange rate at time of adjudication.

It is recommended you obtain routine or non-emergency treatment (e.g. check-ups with a doctor or dentist) prior to departure. It is also recommended you purchase any medications you know you will require before you leave. See prescriptions above.

If you are going to be out of Saskatchewan in excess of six months, you must contact the Health Registration Branch at 1-800-667-7551 (option 1) to ensure your Saskatchewan health coverage is continued.

If you will be absent in excess of twelve months, you must contact the Health Registration Branch for instruction on requesting continued coverage. The letter you receive from your college confirming your sabbatical leave must be provided to the Health Registration Branch office in Regina.

Please make sure to request that confirmation of the extension of benefits, along with a health services card valid for the period of absence are forwarded to you.

You must contact Health Registration Branch upon your return to Saskatchewan to ensure continuation of coverage.

All USask employees travelling for university-related business are eligible for Business Travel Accident Insurance coverage.

• Business Travel Accident Insurance

Contact Sun Life if you require a proof of coverage letter for any reason when travelling. It will take approximately five business days for a letter to be sent to you, so please leave enough time to receive the letter before your travel date.