As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada involve representatives of employees and retirees in the re-tendering process when the time comes to renew the “Administrative Services Only” contract for the Public Service Health Care Plan; and that efforts be made to involve people with disabilities and their caregivers in the process to ensure that their needs are understood.

Recommendation 2

That the Government of Canada work with the administrator of the Public Service Health Care Plan to improve communication with plan members when changes are made to coverage; and that in doing so, the government consider members’ access to the Internet and/or new information and communications technologies.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada begin monitoring the performance of the Plan Administrator on the first day when the contract comes into force; that the transition period prior to activation include monitoring milestones to ensure that the chosen contractor is capable of providing a functional website and bilingual services, among other things; and that in the future, contracts with plan administrators do not provide a grace period to a contractor that has no or few consequences for severe underperformance.

Recommendation 4

That the Government of Canada provide the rationale behind the decision to transition to a new plan administrator and to modernize benefits on the same date, given that Canada Life acknowledged that this decision contributed to the issues facing the Public Service Health Care Plan since 1 July 2023.

Recommendation 5

That the Government of Canada ensure employees who have suffered financial loss as a result of Canada Life's unjustified delays or denials of claims are fully compensated for these losses.

Recommendation 6

That the Government of Canada make available to employees the service standards included in its contract with Canada Life and provide regular updates to stakeholders on both Canada Life’s adherence to those standards and any penalties levied against Canada Life for failing to meet those standards.

Recommendation 7

That the Government of Canada revisit its existing caps on coverage for physiotherapy services to bring them in line with previous coverage and distinguish between short and long-term needs.

Recommendation 8

That the Government of Canada develop separate processes for monitoring the timeliness and accuracy of a) prior authorization decision-making and appeals; and b) claims made for drugs, treatments, and devices not requiring prior authorization, in order to properly enforce the service-level standards contained in the contract.

Recommendation 9

That the Government of Canada ensure that the selected company has the capacity to provide services in French at all times and within the same amount of time as services provided in English.