I cannot stress this enough....OREA did not do their homework on how this mediocre plan would affect people.
*One brokerage has had agents leave the business and/or park their license. Said brokerage is losing $20,000/month in revenue as a result. At that rate, a brokerage could afford to pay $1000/year for insurance for 240 agents. Or share the cost of insurance with 480 agents.
*There our reports that there are many agents whose medications are being denied by the ORWP plan.
*My personal situation: One of my medications is currently covered by Trillium. It is $4500 when I pick it up. That cost is automatically paid by Trillium. I don't pay one penny at point of sale. Quick, easy, seamless transaction. Now that I am forced to use this pathetic ORWP, I will be required to pay $3750 out of pocket and submit my receipt to Trillium and wait for reimbursement. Trillium does allow coordination of benefits, but not at point of sale. This means I will be $3750 out of pocket until reimbursed. There are medications that are much more expensive so what happens when those people are unable to put the money out up front. What then? A person has to go off their medication???????
I don't even know if my medication is covered under our Greenshield plan because I still haven't received a member number or policy number from them in order to activate the app. And I have no idea when I might receive that info because when I called to find out, I got the recording that
DUE TO THE UNIFOR STRIKE, OUR PHONES WILL NOT BE ANSWERED. GREENSHIELD IS ON STRIKE AS OF 12:01AM FRIDAY.
I called CBS and they had no idea Greenshield was on strike. I called OREA at 9:45am and left my callback information so I could get a callback without losing my place in the queue and wouldn't you know it.... Crickets.
I truly don't know how this ORWP scheme could get much worse.
Please contact your MPP and ask what gives OREA the right to bind SELF-EMPLOYED people to a bare bones insurance plan in their bid to become self insured!
What legislation protects our industry (and possibly other associations - think dentists, lawyers, engineers, massage therapists) from the gross overreach of the professional association that does not employ us?
Ask why OREA is allowed to tie participation in this "health and wellness" program to our membership and the tools of our trade?
Tell your MPP that OREA has said they might be able to "accomodate" members whose existing insurance is jeopardized, provided they still pay the entire amount of "dues". In this case, where is their "dues" payment going? Who is getting that money that is being collected for nothing? Is it going to our not-for-profit association? Or the not-for-profit insurance provider, Greenshield?
Ask how OREA can lump this cost under "dues" and it be acceptable to not only raise those "dues" 700%, but then subject them to HST. Call the CRA and ask if this is a business expense on our taxes since OREA is calling it "dues". And if it is "dues" why isn't each member who pays, entitled to the same benefits? Because it's "dues" not insurance right?
Tim Hudak said "this is a 'dues increase'" and that "you don't have to use it (the plan)", and "we aren't going to drag you to the chiropractor". How can the CEO of our organization so blithely suggest that a member doesn't have to use this program when she asks if she can "pretend" it doesn't exist and continue to utilize her existing "superior" insurance? (I have the recording should anyone want to listen)
But honestly, I shouldn't even be surprised at the ignorance, indifference and short-sightedness OREA has shown throughout this process. After all, Tim Hudak did say "personality" is one of the factors an insurance company looks at in order to classify a large insured group (in Niagara, October 2023).
Call your MPP!!