Which Insurers Cover Naturopathic Care? Direct Billing via Telus eClaims (Ontario)

Good news for anyone in Ontario who has been putting off naturopathic care because of the paperwork: Fitra Health now offers direct billing for naturopathic visits through Telus eClaims. Where your plan allows it, that means we submit the claim to your insurer for you, and you only pay the part your plan does not cover. No paying the full amount up front and waiting weeks to be reimbursed.

Most people search the same way when they want to know if they are covered: they type their insurer's name plus something like naturopath or naturopathic coverage. So here is the straight answer, insurer by insurer.

How direct billing works at Fitra

When you book a visit with one of our Naturopathic Doctors, we run your claim through Telus eClaims at the time of service. If your plan covers naturopathic care, your insurer pays its share directly to us, and you cover any remaining balance. If your plan does not cover it, or you have used up your annual amount, you simply pay for the visit and we give you a receipt.

One important note: being able to direct bill an insurer is not the same as your specific plan covering naturopathic care. Coverage, annual limits, and whether you need anything extra all depend on the plan your employer or you purchased. When in doubt, check your benefits booklet or ask us to help verify before your visit.

Insurers we can direct bill through Telus eClaims

If your naturopathic benefits run through any of the plans below, we can usually submit your claim directly. This list is sorted roughly by how common each one is across Canadian workplaces, so the names most people have are near the top.

• Manulife Financial
• Canada Life
• Desjardins Insurance
• Industrial Alliance (iA)
• Beneva Inc.
• Equitable (Equitable Life)
• Alberta Blue Cross
• Canada Life - PSHCP (Public Service Health Care Plan)
• ClaimSecure
• Cowan
• GroupHEALTH
• GroupSource
• People Corporation
• Johnston Group Inc.
• Maximum Benefit
• Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance
• Coughlin & Associates Ltd.
• belairdirect (formerly Johnson Inc.)
• Simply Benefits
• Manion
• Quikcard
• TELUS AdjudiCare
• GMS Carrier 49
• GMS Carrier 50
• First Canadian
• RWAM Insurance Administrators
• MDM Insurance Services Inc.
• Union Benefits
• GPM Group Benefits
• AGA Financial Group Inc.
• BPA - Benefit Plan Administrators
• CINUP
• UV Insurance
• Canadian Construction Workers Union
• LiUNA Local 183
• LiUNA Local 506

Do not see your insurer on the list, or not sure which one administers your plan? That is normal, since many employers use a third party to manage benefits. Send us the name on your benefits card and we will tell you whether we can direct bill it.

The most common plans, explained

Manulife Financial is one of the largest benefits providers in Canada, and many workplace plans run through it. We can direct bill Manulife through Telus eClaims, and most Manulife extended health plans that include paramedical or naturopathic benefits will apply.

Canada Life (which now includes the former Great-West Life and London Life) is the other giant. We can direct bill Canada Life, including the federal Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP), which covers a large share of government employees and retirees.

Desjardins Insurance and Industrial Alliance (iA) are two of the biggest names for plans based in or expanding from Quebec, and both are supported. Beneva, formed from the merger of SSQ and La Capitale, is also on the list.

Equitable Life, Alberta Blue Cross, ClaimSecure, Cowan, GroupHEALTH, and GroupSource round out the plans we see most often. All of them can be direct billed through Telus eClaims when your plan includes naturopathic care.

Is naturopathic care actually covered by my plan?

In most cases, yes, at least in part. Naturopathic care usually sits in the paramedical section of an extended health plan, alongside things like massage, physiotherapy, and chiropractic. Many plans include a yearly amount for naturopathic visits, often somewhere between 200 and 500 dollars, though some are higher or lower and some plans do not include it at all.

The only way to know your exact coverage is to look at your specific plan. Our piece on naturopathic insurance coverage in Ontario walks through how to read your benefits booklet, and if you would rather not dig through it, we are happy to help you check.

What if my insurer is not on the list?

No problem. If we cannot direct bill your plan, you pay for the visit and we provide a detailed, insurer-ready receipt that you submit for reimbursement. You still get the coverage your plan offers, it just takes one extra step. Our guide to direct billing for naturopathic care in Ontario explains the reimbursement process in more detail.

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or insurance advice. Coverage depends on your individual plan. Always confirm the details of your benefits with your insurer.

Free 15-minute consultation. Direct billing available via Telus eClaims. Covered by most extended health plans. Ontario only. fitrahealth.ca