Parliamentary committee to look at federal worker health insurance switch

A federal government committee intends to look into how a change to the Public Service Health Care Plan is causing issues for public service workers.

The standing committee on government operations and estimates adopted a motion last week to examine the transition to Canada Life.

On July 1, the country's largest health-care plan switched providers to Canada Life Assurance Company, bringing more than 1.7 million federal public servants, retirees and their dependents with them.

Since, CBC has heard from a number of families negatively affected by the switch.

In a news release issued by the committee, it said it intends to look at:

• Quality of insurance coverage.
• Efficiency and effectiveness of new insurance plan, particularly online claims and telephone service.
• Mechanisms used by Public Services and Procurement Canada to award the contract.
• Measures that will be put in place to "restore the situation."

By adopting the motion, the committee is agreeing to "devote at least one meeting to carrying out this study," and share its findings with the House of Commons.

A list of witnesses was supposed to have been given to the committee clerk on Friday.