Senior diplomats are telling Canada's high International Affairs officers that the state of affairs is unsustainable
All of Canada's high diplomats have taken the extraordinary step of writing a joint letter to their superiors warning of an “unsustainable” state of affairs after their medical health insurance supplier fails to course of claims for Canadian workers working overseas nation.
The letter, obtained by CBC Information, was written on behalf of all of Canada's chiefs of mission and ambassadors around the globe.
“What was already a difficult state of affairs has develop into extra risky because of the cyberattack” on the corporate that gives well being care protection, the letter stated. It’s addressed to the Deputy Ministers of International Affairs Canada (GAC).
That firm, MSH Worldwide, stated a “cyber incident” was found on February 9. It has stopped processing the claims whereas an investigation is underway.
Of their letter, the diplomats level to the real-life penalties of unsure entry to well being care protection.
“We’re additionally conscious of workers pre-empting and/or suspending medical therapies (eg, psychological therapies, physiotherapy and a few drug therapies) as a consequence of considerations that they is probably not reimbursed,” the letter states.
Diplomatic sources who spoke to CBC Information highlighted the stress these challenges have placed on some workers.
In a single
the last report Seeking to the way forward for the international service and the necessity to modernize and enhance recruitment, the Senate international relations and worldwide commerce committee really useful that the federal government commit extra assets to raised help households overseas.
The issue additionally impacts retirees who’re counting on protection.
Retired Canadian ambassador Dennis Horak was touring in the US final October when his spouse skilled a medical emergency that required hospitalization.
Horak stated it took him almost three days to test with MSH Worldwide to open a file.
“I known as them each hour. I stayed on the cellphone for hours. I waited for calls that by no means got here and eventually, greater than two and a half days later, I lastly acquired maintain of them,” he stated.
“It was extraordinarily irritating at a really, very tense time.”
Insurance coverage firm Canada Life grew to become the supplier of administrative companies for members of the Public Service Well being Care Plan (PSHCP) on July 1 of final yr.
Canada Life outsourced the administration of emergency journey overseas and insurance coverage to MSH Worldwide.
The letter says that whereas staff in Canada are supplied with steady medical health insurance protection, workers working overseas are usually not – and so they “bear important monetary burdens because of the failure to be financially compensated as they’re entitled to.”
The letter says the brand new system managed by MSH Worldwide “has did not work from the beginning”, forcing GAC to introduce emergency loans as a way of overlaying healthcare prices – a state of affairs “not everyone seems to be comfy with happy”.
“The current suspension of companies because of the cyber assault on the MoH is a step past what is suitable for hundreds of workers. On this context, the communications issued by TBS [Treasury Board Secretariat] “Sadly, additionally they lacked a deadline for an answer,” the letter says.
Pamela Isfeld, president and chairwoman of the Skilled Affiliation of Overseas Service Officers (PAFSO), stated members of her union reported issues accessing their medical health insurance since MSH Worldwide took over the administration of abroad protection.
Isfeld stated that whereas GAC has been proactive in attempting to assist abroad staff going through well being care prices, the federal government mustn’t compensate them as a result of a personal firm shouldn’t be doing its job.
“We’ve got International Affairs Canada, which is a authorities division going through a funds disaster like no different,” she stated.
“And now it's taken, the final quantity I heard was over $2.three million held prematurely overlaying a personal for-profit firm that’s unable to get its act collectively to correctly reimburse individuals and provides them protection that they’re. paying.”
Isfeld stated Canadian international service officers primarily based in the US are going through a very daunting state of affairs as a result of there is no such thing as a public well being care system to fall again on.
Diplomatic sources instructed CBC Information that Canadian workers overseas are asking the Treasury Board, which oversees Authorities of Canada contracts, for an pressing resolution.
CBC Information shouldn’t be naming the confidential sources as a result of they weren’t approved to talk publicly.
These sources stated Treasury Board officers held a cellphone name with workers in the US final Thursday to debate the continuing subject.
On the finish of the decision, Canada's ambassador to the US, Kirsten Hillman, summarized what she heard from workers on the embassy — together with a name for the federal government to place all embassy staff on American personal insurance policy till the issues with MSH Worldwide are resolved. are resolved. solved.
In line with sources, Treasury Board officers stated on the decision that they’ll think about the request.
CBC Information contacted TBS for an replace on the state of affairs and requested if the division might estimate when MSH Worldwide will summarize processing claims for PSHCP members.
A TBS spokesman declined to offer a timeline.
The Ministry of Well being says it expects to renew processing claims quickly
“An investigation is ongoing, and the Authorities of Canada will proceed to work carefully with its companions to stop, detect and handle cyber threats. For data on the actions taken by Canada Life and MSH Worldwide in relation to this incident, you please contact them immediately,” spokesman Martin Povin stated in a media assertion.
GAC stated in a press release offered to CBC Information that it acknowledges the challenges going through its Canadian workers and their dependents overseas.
“The impression of those challenges on workers well-being is of the utmost significance to us. We’re working with the Treasury Board Secretariat, which is immediately engaged with Canada Life to discover a well timed resolution,” the division stated.
MSH Worldwide stated in a press release offered to CBC Information that the corporate expects to renew safe claims processing companies “within the very close to future.”
“All through this incident, the Ministry of Well being has continued to help PSHCP members in planning exterior of Canada to entry the medical care they require. The contact heart has continued to function with out interruption,” the assertion stated.
MSH Worldwide additionally stated it has been capable of “successfully assist people exterior of Canada entry medical companies after they want them.” However the firm admitted that declare processing occasions have been longer than the corporate would have favored, as a consequence of “increased than anticipated volumes”.
As for Horak, he stated he’s nonetheless ready for MSH Worldwide to course of a number of the payments associated to the medical emergency and that it’s unattainable to get anybody from the corporate on the cellphone.
“If it wasn't so critical, I'd name it a joke. However it's no laughing matter,” he stated.
“It didn't begin with the hack. That's been an issue from the start, definitely with MOH, in my expertise.”