Health and Dental Insurance in Alberta

What Health and Dental Insurance Actually Covers

Alberta Health covers the basics. Doctor visits, hospital stays, most surgeries. What it doesn't cover is the everyday stuff that adds up — prescriptions, dental cleanings and fillings, eye exams and glasses, physiotherapy, massage, mental health, and a long list of services that aren't free no matter what people sometimes assume.

A health and dental plan fills those gaps. Most plans cover some combination of:

• Prescription drugs

• Dental — cleanings, exams, fillings, sometimes major work like crowns and bridges

• Vision — exams, glasses, contacts, sometimes laser eye surgery

• Paramedical — physio, massage, chiropractor, psychology, naturopath

• Hospital extras — semi-private or private room upgrades during a hospital stay

• Travel medical for shorter trips

• Sometimes a small life insurance and accident benefit

Coverage limits, percentages, and deductibles vary a lot. The cheap plans cover less, the comprehensive ones cover more. The trick is matching the plan to what you actually need.

Are You Looking at Flexcare or FollowMe?

Manulife has two main plan families for Albertans buying individually. Most people fit into one or the other based on their situation, not their preferences.

You're probably looking at FollowMe if:

• You just lost or are about to lose group benefits at work (job change, layoff, retirement, going self-employed)

• You apply within 90 days of your group coverage ending

• You want guaranteed acceptance with no medical questions

You're probably looking at Flexcare if:

• You're self-employed, freelance, or contracting and never had group benefits

• You're between jobs but past the 90-day FollowMe window

• You want to choose your plan based on what you need, not on what's available without underwriting

• You're young and healthy and want the better pricing that medical underwriting can offer

The big difference is acceptance. FollowMe has a tight 90-day window after group benefits end where Manulife will guarantee acceptance. Outside that window, most Flexcare plans require medical underwriting, with one guaranteed-issue option for people who can't qualify.

Manulife FollowMe — For When Group Benefits End

If your job is changing — leaving, retiring, going independent — and you're losing benefits along with it, FollowMe is the plan family designed exactly for that transition. The pitch is straightforward: keep coverage, no medical questions, no gaps.

Four FollowMe plan levels are available, ranging from basic to comprehensive. Higher levels include more generous drug, dental, paramedical, and vision coverage. The right one depends on what your previous group plan looked like and what you actually use.

Why people choose FollowMe:

• Guaranteed acceptance if you apply within 90 days of group coverage ending — no medical questions

• Pre-existing conditions covered — important if you're currently being treated for anything

• Same-day continuation of coverage so you don't end up with a gap

• Survivor benefit — if the primary insured passes away, the family's coverage continues for one year

• TELUS Health Virtual Care included — 24/7 access to virtual doctors and nurse practitioners

Things to know:

• The 90-day window is firm. Past it, you can still apply but you'll likely be looking at Flexcare with medical underwriting.

• FollowMe coverage is intentionally not identical to what your group plan covered. It's similar in shape but different in the specifics. Read the comparison before assuming nothing changes.

• Premiums are typically higher than equivalent medically-underwritten Flexcare plans because of the guaranteed-acceptance feature.

See Manulife FollowMe plans

Manulife Flexcare — For Self-Employed and Independent Albertans

If you've been self-employed for a while, are between jobs past the FollowMe window, or just never had group benefits, Flexcare is the family designed for you. There are several plans within Flexcare, and the right one depends on what you actually need.

The three core plan types within Flexcare:

ComboPlus — combines drug, dental, vision, and extended health. The all-in-one option for people who want everything. Available at multiple coverage levels (Starter, Basic, Enhanced, Premier).

DentalPlus — drops the drug coverage, keeps dental, vision, and extended health. Useful if you don't take regular medications and want to save on premiums.

DrugPlus — drops the dental coverage, keeps drugs and extended health. Useful if you have separate dental coverage or pay dentistry out of pocket.

Within those three, the levels matter:

• Starter / Basic plans — lower premiums, lower coverage limits, lower drug caps

• Enhanced plans — middle ground, better coverage especially on dental and paramedicals

• Premier plans — highest coverage, highest premiums, often what people are used to from their employer plans

Most Flexcare plans require medical underwriting. One important exception: ComboPlus Starter is a guaranteed-issue plan that accepts you regardless of health, with no medical questions. The trade-off is more limited coverage and higher premiums than the medically-underwritten options.

Things to know:

• Flexcare is more flexible than FollowMe — you can pick a plan that matches what you actually use rather than taking a packaged level.

• Most Flexcare plans only cover new medications. If you currently take a prescription regularly, that drug may be excluded as a pre-existing condition. ComboPlus Starter is the exception — it covers eligible existing medications.

• Annual maximums and per-visit limits vary significantly between levels. The differences matter much more than people expect.

See Manulife Flexcare plans

Manulife Vitality — A Discount for Healthy Habits

Worth knowing about: both Flexcare and FollowMe plans come with the option to add Manulife Vitality, a wellness program that gives you discounts on your premiums for doing things you'd ideally be doing anyway.

You earn points for activities like exercising, completing online health assessments, getting preventive screenings, and participating in challenges. Points translate to:

• 5% off your first-year premiums when you add Vitality

• Up to 10% off premiums in following years depending on your activity level

For people who actually engage with the program, it's a real discount. For people who set it and forget it, the savings disappear after year one. If you're already wearing a fitness tracker and doing health checkups, it's basically free money. If those things feel like work, the savings won't materialize.

It's not a reason to choose Manulife on its own, but it's a meaningful add-on if you'd use it.

For Albertans With a Corporation — A Better Path

If you're incorporated as a professional or business owner, an individual health and dental plan is rarely the most efficient way to fund medical and dental costs. A Health Spending Account (HSA) should be considered.

With an HSA, your corporation funds the account, the deposits are a tax-deductible business expense, and the benefits paid out to you and your family are received tax-free. The list of eligible expenses is broader than what a packaged insurance plan covers, and there are no premiums climbing every year as you age.

A common approach for incorporated professionals: an HSA as the primary tool, with a Manulife Flexcare or FollowMe plan layered on top for the things an HSA alone doesn't cover well — large prescription claims, ongoing physio for chronic conditions, family dental, and so on. The HSA covers the predictable smaller expenses tax-efficiently. The insurance plan covers the larger or recurring costs that would burn through an HSA fast.

If you're incorporated, talk to us before buying an individual plan. The wrong order — buying insurance first, adding an HSA later — costs more than the reverse. Learn about Health Spending Accounts in Alberta →

A Note on Tax Deductibility for Self-Employed Albertans

If you're self-employed as a sole proprietor (not incorporated), premiums you pay for a private health and dental plan are typically deductible against your business income, subject to certain limits and conditions. This significantly reduces the after-tax cost of the coverage.

For incorporated business owners, the corporation can pay premiums for plans that cover the owner and their family, with proper structuring — but as noted above, an HSA is usually the better tool than an insurance plan for the corporately-paid health benefit.

The exact tax treatment depends on your business structure, what's being claimed, and CRA rules that change occasionally. Talk to your accountant about how to claim health insurance premiums for your specific situation. We're not your accountant, but we work with them to make sure the structure makes sense from both the planning and tax angles.

How Much Do These Plans Cost?

A few rough ranges for healthy Alberta applicants. These are starting points, not quotes:

• Single adult, basic Flexcare plan: $50–$120/month

• Single adult, comprehensive Flexcare plan: $120–$250/month

• Family of four, basic plan: $150–$300/month

• Family of four, comprehensive plan: $300–$600+/month

• FollowMe plans generally land toward the higher end of these ranges due to guaranteed acceptance

Real quotes depend on age, family configuration, plan selection, smoking status, and (for medically underwritten Flexcare plans) underwriting outcomes. Manulife's online quote tools give accurate numbers in a few minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

I just lost my job — how quickly do I need to act?

If you want guaranteed acceptance through FollowMe, you have 90 days from when your group benefits ended to apply and pay your first premium. Past 90 days, you'll most likely need to apply through Flexcare with medical underwriting. If you have ongoing medical needs and you're past the FollowMe window, ComboPlus Starter (the guaranteed-issue Flexcare option) becomes the most likely path.

Is medical underwriting worth it if I'm healthy?

Usually yes. Medically-underwritten Flexcare plans are typically 15-30% cheaper than equivalent guaranteed-acceptance plans. Younger and healthier applicants can save meaningfully. The risk is being declined or excluded for specific conditions, in which case you fall back to a guaranteed-issue option anyway. For most healthy Albertans, going through underwriting is worth the better pricing.

What's the difference between an HSA and health insurance?

A traditional health insurance plan is an insurance contract — you pay premiums, the insurer pays defined benefits when you submit claims. An HSA is an account funded by your corporation that pays for eligible medical expenses on a tax-deductible basis at the corporate level, and tax-free to you personally. Insurance pools risk; an HSA is more like prepaid healthcare with tax advantages. For incorporated professionals, HSAs are usually more tax-efficient. For sole proprietors and individuals, traditional plans are typically the answer.

Can I have both an HSA and a Manulife plan?

Yes, and many incorporated professionals do exactly this. The HSA covers smaller and routine medical and dental expenses tax-efficiently. The Manulife plan covers large prescription claims, recurring paramedical visits, family dental, or anything that would burn through an HSA quickly. The combination is often more efficient than either tool alone.

What happens if I or someone in my family develops a serious condition?

That depends on which plan you have. FollowMe and Flexcare ComboPlus Starter cover pre-existing and current conditions from day one. Other Flexcare plans only cover new conditions — so if you had the condition before applying, claims related to it may be excluded. This is one of the most important questions to answer before choosing a plan. We'll help you figure out the right path based on what you and your family already have going on.

Can I switch plans later?

Yes, but with caveats. Moving from one plan to another generally means re-applying, and re-applying generally means going through the underwriting process again (unless you're moving to a guaranteed-issue plan). Conditions developed during your current plan may be excluded by the new one. Generally, the better strategy is to choose carefully upfront and adjust through optional add-ons within your existing plan family rather than switching wholesale.

Are there better options than Manulife?

Honest answer: depending on the situation, sometimes. Other Canadian insurers — Sun Life, GMS, Empire Life, Green Shield — also offer individual health and dental plans, and for specific situations they can be better than Manulife. We can compare across the market. We feature Manulife on this page because their Flexcare and FollowMe families are well-designed, well-priced for many Alberta situations, and offer direct online application. If your situation suggests a different insurer would fit better, we'll tell you.

Let's Talk About Your Situation

If you're trying to figure out whether you need a Manulife plan, an HSA, both, or something else entirely — let's talk. We'll look at your situation honestly and tell you what fits. No obligation, no pitch.