When you or your partner have more than one benefit plan, you can combine or share them to maximize your coverage. This means you can receive up to the maximum amount of coverage when you claim drugs, medical services & supplies, travel emergencies, dental, and vision. This process is called coordination of benefits, or COB, and it is a standard practice for benefit providers across Canada.

If you have multiple plans but have not set up your COB yet, you can fill out the Coordination of Benefits Information form and send it to ASEBP or contact ASEBP, and a benefit specialist will be happy to help you.

Healthcare provider guiding retired Alberta educator through first-line medication options for prescription drug plan

How COB works for ASEBP’s MyRetiree Plan

Coordination of benefits determines which plan pays first and which pays second. Determining which plan pays first depends on your specific situation. However, always pay before retirement benefit plans.

You must inform the employer-sponsored benefit plan that your MyRetiree Plan is a retirement benefit plan to ensure proper order of payment.

If you are transitioning from an ASEBP employer-sponsored plan to the MyRetiree Plan, you will need to show your MyRetiree Plan ID card to all healthcare providers and pharmacists to ensure the proper coverage and order of payment.

Coordination with government plans

Enrolment in the Government of Alberta’s Coverage for Seniors program is not automatic. All MyRetiree Plan covered members and dependants aged 65 and older who live in Alberta must register for the program directly with the Government of Alberta to activate coverage. For more information on the

If you reside outside of Alberta, ASEBP recommends visiting your provincial or territorial health care website to learn more about your provincial/territorial health care insurance plan.

For individuals age 64 and under

Whether you have more than one benefit plan with ASEBP, or your other plan is with a different benefit provider, you can still combine them to make the most out of your coverage. For example:

If you have a full-time job and a retirement benefit plan, your full-time job benefit plan pays first, and your retirement plan pays second.
If you have a part-time job and a retirement benefit plan, the part-time job benefit plan pays first, and the retirement plan pays second.

For individuals age 65 and over

If you are 65 and over, your provincial health care insurance plan (e.g., Alberta’s Coverage for Seniors Plan) is the primary plan. For example:

If you have a full- or part-time job, retirement benefits, and a provincial/territorial health care insurance plan, submit your claim in this order:

Your provincial/territorial health care plan.
Your employer-sponsored benefits.
Your retirement benefit plan.

If you are fully retired, you submit your claim to your provincial/territorial health care insurance plan first and your retirement benefit plan second.

For couples ages 64 and under

If you and your partner both have retirement benefits, your ASEBP MyRetiree Plan is your primary plan, and your partner’s retirement benefit plan is their primary plan. For example:

You submit your claim to your ASEBP MyRetiree Plan first, then submit the remaining balance to your partner’s retirement plan second.
Your partner submits their claim to their retirement plan first, then submits the remaining balance of their claim to your ASEBP MyRetiree Plan second.

If your partner’s benefit plan is an employer-sponsored plan, your partner’s plan is the primary plan for both you and your partner. For example:

Both you and your partner submit your claims to your partner’s employer-sponsored plan first.
You submit the remaining balance of either yours or your partner’s claim to your MyRetiree Plan second.

For couples ages 65 and over

If you or your partner are 65 years of age and older, your provincial or territorial health care insurance plan (e.g., Alberta’s Coverage for Seniors Plan) is the primary plan for the individual who is 65+. For example:

If you are 65, submit your claim to your provincial/territorial health care insurance plan first.
- Then submit the remaining balance to your ASEBP MyRetiree Plan second.
- If there are any remaining costs, you can submit them to your partner’s retirement plan third.
If your partner is 65, they submit their claim to their provincial/territorial health care insurance plan first.
- They submit the remaining balance to their retirement benefit plan second.
- If there are any remaining costs, you can submit them to your ASEBP MyRetiree plan third.
If your partner is employed and you are retired, you both submit your claims to your provincial/territorial health care insurance plan first.
- Then submit the remaining balance to your partner’s employer-sponsored plan second.
- If there are any remaining costs, you can submit them to your ASEBP MyRetiree plan third.

Additional Information

Submitting claims with COB

Please review the above scenarios to determine which plan pays first for you and your dependant.

If your ASEBP MyRetiree plan pays first, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement—available on My ASEBP—which outlines how much your plan covers. You can then submit the EOB statement with your claim to your other benefits provider (e.g., partner’s retirement plan) for the remaining eligible amount.

If your partner’s employer-sponsored plan or your provincial/territorial health care insurance plan pays first, you will need to submit a copy of the EOB from the primary plan showing what was paid in addition to ASEBP’s receipt requirements.

Managing your COB

If you have any changes to your marital or dependant status, or if your coverage situation changes, you will need to inform ASEBP to ensure your claims continue to be processed properly.

You can fill out the Coordination of Benefits Information form and send it to ASEBP or contact ASEBP with your plan number(s) and information. To update your file, you will need to provide the following about the other benefits provider:

the name of the provider
the effective date of your coverage
what type of coverage you have
if all your dependants are included in that coverage

As a reminder, if you are transitioning from an ASEBP employer-sponsored plan to the MyRetiree Plan, the section code on your ASEBP ID will change. You will need to show your MyRetiree Plan ID card to all healthcare providers and pharmacists to ensure the proper coverage and order of payment.

Additionally, when you turn 65, your ASEBP MyRetiree plan ID section code will change again. You will need to show your MyRetiree Plan ID card to all healthcare providers and pharmacists to ensure the proper coverage and order of payment.

Dental COB

While your coordination of benefits for your dental coverage works the same way as your extended health plan, the amount covered is based on ASEBP’s dental coverage maximums.

ASEBP follows the previous year’s Alberta Dental Association’s (ADA) dental feel guide to determine dental coverage maximums. For example, for 2026, ASEBP follows the ADA’s 2025 dental fee guide. In 2027, ASEBP will follow the ADA’s 2026 dental fee guide. While the ADA encourages dental providers to use this guide to set prices, it is not mandatory, which means the cost of services can still vary between dental offices. Depending on what your dentist charges, you may still experience out-of-pocket expenses even after your COB is complete. For more information about dental fees, visit the Dental Fees page.

Still have questions?

Coordination of benefits can be tricky, especially if your situation changes. Please contact ASEBP and a benefit specialist will be happy to help you with any questions you may have.

Coordination of Benefits

How COB works for ASEBP’s MyRetiree Plan

Additional Information

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