NBA: New Supplemental Health Benefit

Starting today (April 1, 2025), a new Mental Health Support Fund will be in place to help HSA members covered under the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) collective agreement.
 
This funding was negotiated with the BC government as part of your union’s ongoing work to provide greater support for RPNs, especially those dealing with the impact of significant shortages and excessive workload, and will provide up to $5000 worth of enhanced mental health and wellness support for NBA members like you. 
 
The fund will work as a supplementary benefit that you can use towards the services of a registered psychologist, registered clinical counsellor, registered social worker, and registered dietitian as well as internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT). The fund is open to all NBA members who are regular full-time, regular part-time, and casual employees enrolled in Policy #50000 through Pacific Blue Cross (PBC). It does not extend to your spouse, dependents or other family members. 

How to Access the Fund

The employer has refused to allow the transfer of existing member registration information to support the seamless access by NBA members to this new fund. This means that you will need to self-register with HSA to be enrolled for the benefit.
 
HSA members are encouraged to register immediately to reduce any potential delay in accessing the supplementary funding.

In addition to registering, please keep your receipts. You are also advised to keep all your eligible receipts for registered psychologist, registered clinical counsellor, registered social worker, registered dietitian and iCBT services above the $900 annual benefit which have not been reimbursed after April 1, 2025. Once the registration and enrollment process has been completed, we will let you know the details about when and how to apply for reimbursement.

You can find more information about the fund, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, here.

How to Register
 
To register our NBA members, HSA is required to collect essential personal information from you and submit it to PBC, who will then enroll members into the fund. The registration process is straightforward and can be completed in only a few minutes. Before commencing registration, please have your Bluenet extended health care card available.
 
Step 1: Click on this link which will take you to the member status verification page.

Step 2: Enter your personal e-mail address which is on file with HSA. If you do not have an e-mail address registered with HSA, please click on the link which will take you to a page to register your e-mail. Once that’s done, return to the above link.
 
Step 3: After the HSA database recognizes and validates your e-mail address, a verification code will be sent to your e-mail. Retrieve the verification code from your e-mail, enter where indicated and click Verify. You will be redirected to the registration site.
 
Step 4: Starting with the Certificate number on your Bluenet card, provide responses to the short list of questions and click Register. You will receive a response e-mail confirming receipt of your registration.

Benefits Eligible for Top-Up
 
This one-time grant through BC’s Ministry of Health will top up your coverage by up to $5000 over the lifetime of the fund for the following supplemental benefits:

• Psychology top up: Once a member reaches the $900 per calendar year combined maximum psychology benefit, they will have access to an additional $1,100 per calendar year combined maximum at 100% reimbursement, subject to Pacific Blue Cross’s reasonable and customary limits, for registered social workers, registered clinical counsellors, registered psychologists, and iCBT programs available through Pacific Blue Cross. The HSA supplementary top-up will be available effective April 1, 2025. 
   
• Registered Dietitian: $600 per calendar year at 100% reimbursement and no annual deductible, subject to Pacific Blue Cross’s reasonable and customary limits, effective April 1, 2025.

Please remember to retain all your receipts for eligible services which have not been reimbursed after April 1, 2025. Once the registration and enrolment process has been completed, details will be provided about when and how to access reimbursement.

How Long Will the Funding Be Available?
 
The funding will be available to top up benefits starting April 1 and will remain available until individual members have incurred $5,000 in supplementary benefit claims, or all funding is depleted.
 
When the funding is depleted, coverage levels will return to the current limits. 
 
The registered dietitian benefit will only be available for the duration of the fund, after which that coverage will be discontinued.