About

HBT is a not-for-profit Employee Life and Health Trust that provides and administers group health and welfare benefits for employees in the health, community and broader public sector in British Columbia.

The primary benefits administered by HBT are Group Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), Weekly Indemnity, Long Term Disability (LTD), Extended Health, and Dental. HBT ensures these benefits are administered in accordance with provisions and plan design required by employer members, provincial and single site collective agreements, and the respective Employee Health and Life Benefit Trusts we service as their Administrator

Serving the Public Sector

HBT is a provider and administrator of health benefits for over 265,000 beneficiaries within the healthcare, community and social services sectors, and other public sector organizations within British Columbia. HBT administered claims payments in excess of $675 million during 2021. HBT contracts with PBC and Canada Life as their claims adjudicators for Extended Health/Dental and Disability benefit claims.

HBT is a not for profit Employee Life and Health Trust and offers the most cost-effective self insurance option available to deliver group health and welfare benefits in support of the public sector in British Columbia.

Vision/Mission

Vision

Be the preferred provider for public sector group benefits in BC

Mission

Provide competitive alternatives to private insurance products for group benefits.

Intent

Work collaboratively with public sector organizations to provide employee benefits using a not-for- profit model.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We are committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We are champions of diversity in all forms- where every voice is heard, each perspective is valued, and every single individual is empowered

Our Business Model

Our Self-Insured Model

Our self-insured model of Benefit delivery and administration is unique and affords our members the following benefits:

Beneficial tax treatment; no HST
No profit charges meaning that any surplus realized goes towards administering Benefits and reducing rates
No risk charges meaning if an organization were to purchase insurance through a standard insurance company that was fully insured, they would pay a premium to the insurer (most likely built into the rate) for the risk the insurer has to bear to provide insurance
Strong pool asset management
Pooling of Benefit administration costs

Our core areas of responsibility include:

Sound management of HBT funds*
Comprehensive administration of benefits as per the Plan including claims
Payment of Health and Welfare Benefits and all related expenses
Management of service providers to the Plan
Engage professional services and expertise to deliver the Plan

*Trust funds are provided through a combination of employer/employee contributions and investment income. HBT holds reserves in the Trust funds to cover all claims liability.

Our Service Providers

Healthcare Benefit Trust (HBT) provides cost-effective Group Benefit coverage. To ensure neutrality and optimal efficiency in claims adjudication HBT outsources these services to: Canada Life for Long Term Disability and Group Life/Dependent Life and Pacific Blue Cross (PBC) for Extended Health and Dental claims.

All services and benefits provided by Canada Life and PBC are paid by from the Trust funds. HBT manages all aspects of services provided by Canada Life and PBC to ensure best-in-class delivery of services at the lowest reasonable cost. In addition, HBT also outsources some professional services that include fund management, legal and audit services.