Privacy Policy

Your Privacy... Our Commitment

The Canassurance Hospital Service Association (doing business in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Provinces
as Ontario Blue Cross™, Quebec Blue Cross® and Blue Cross®) and its subsiduaries¹ is accountable for, and acknowledges that it has an obligation to adopt, implement and maintain procedures to comply with the requirements under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) and applicable provincial privacy legislation in the conduct of its business. As part of this commitment, we are setting out the following statement about the manner in which Canassurance Hospital Service Association (CHSA) collects, uses, discloses and otherwise manages personal information in its custody and control.

We have designated a Chief Privacy Officer to oversee our privacy compliance program, and all the CHSA and subsidiary employees receive training concerning the new legislation, PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy legislation. The policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with the law requirements, are also part of the training program and are made available to all employees.

Why and How we collect and use your personal information

At the time of collection and with the most appropriate means, we inform our customers of the purposes of collection, use and disclosure of their personal data and obtain the customer’s consent wherever appropriate at the time or prior to collecting, using and disclosing such information.

Collection and use of personal information
Any medical, financial or other personal information collected throughout the course of our business relationship which identifies a specific individual is considered confidential information. This includes, but is not limited to, data you provide us with such as name, address, date of birth, relevant financial information, relevant medical history, etc. and/ or personal information collected with your authorization from third parties such as physicians, hospitals, brokers, travel agencies, Medical Information Bureau, etc.

The personal information you provide us with or that is collected from third parties is used to establish your identification, understand and meet your needs and preferences, process your application, verify your eligibility for benefits and services, process and pay your claims, and assist us with complying with legal requirements.

As several of our services are provided by phone, our call center telephone lines are recorded to ensure quality of service and to protect both parties in case of disagreement.

You may revoke your consent to the use of your personal information at any time, however, in certain situations this could result in our inability to provide you with coverage, assistance or pay claim on your behalf. Consent will be obtained at the time of application, claim or at any other time during the life of our business relationship.

Disclosure of personal information
The CHSA and its subsiduaries¹ do not transfer or disclose your personal information without your prior consent, except as otherwise expressly set out herein or otherwise agreed with you in writing. During the course of our business, we transfer information to third parties to provide services on our behalf in connection with the administration of our products and to the authorities when required by law, such as in the case of a search warrant. In emergency situations like a sudden illness while abroad, we may disclose personal information including medical information to third parties and assume your consent to ensure you receive adequate care in a timely fashion.

Safeguarding Customer Information

The CHSA and its subsiduaries¹ safeguard the personal information in our custody and control against the loss, theft and unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification. Your personal information is protected regardless of the format it is held.

When your personal information is no longer required, it is destroyed by means of shredding or otherwise, to prevent unauthorized use and access.

Working With You to Safeguard Your Personal Information...
Employees assign great importance to the confidentiality of personal information and follow strict corporate guidelines in this regard. The employees understand that legitimate business reasons are required for collecting, accessing, and/or using any personal information. Our employees and authorized contractors only access your personal information to the extent required for such employee or contractor to perform his or her work responsibilities.

Access to your Personal Information

You may access your personal information, verify its accuracy or its completeness and request an amendment, if necessary at any time, by contacting us in the manner set out below. You may also request in writing more detailed information concerning the content of your personal record.

Should you wish to receive a copy of the documents we have on our records regarding your personal information, reasonable reproduction and handling fees may be required. You will be informed of the charges before the documents are reproduced.

How we handle your requests, suggestions and/or complaints

Your input is extremely important to us. Processes have been put in place to ensure that your concerns are addressed within 30 days of the initial request. In certain circumstances (defined within PIPEDA) the 30 day period may be extended.

If you have any suggestions, would like to request access to your information or have a complaint relating to the manner in which your personal information has been treated, please write to us:

Chief Privacy Officer
Canassurance Hospital Service Association and its subsidiaries¹
550 Sherbrooke Street West
Suite B-9
Montreal, PQ
H3A 3S3
or email to:
privacyofficer@qc.bluecross.ca

¹Canassurance Insurance Company and Canassistance Inc.