Alberta Blue Cross vs Manulife: Compare Health Insurance Plans
This matchup pits the largest regional Blue Cross plan in Western Canada against one of the country’s biggest insurers. Alberta Blue Cross fields twelve plans across three families, Blue Assured, Blue Choice and Retiree, but sells them only in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Manulife runs a leaner national shelf of seven plans split between FlexCare, its anytime-application line, and FollowMe, its group conversion line, available in twelve provinces and territories.
Pick Alberta Blue Cross if you are an Alberta or NWT resident who travels, since every plan carries five million dollars of emergency travel coverage for trips up to 30 days, or 120 days on Retiree Premium. Pick Manulife if you live elsewhere in Canada, if you want the longest grace period in this comparison for converting group coverage, since FollowMe gives you 90 days instead of 60, or if a simple starter plan with guaranteed acceptance is all you need.
At a glance
| Feature | Alberta Blue Cross | Manulife |
|---|---|---|
| Provinces available | Alberta and Northwest Territories | 12 provinces and territories (not offered in Quebec) |
| Plan options | 12 plans across 3 plan families | 7 plans across 2 plan families |
| Underwriting options | Guaranteed acceptance, Medically underwritten, Guaranteed issue | Guaranteed acceptance, Medically underwritten, Guaranteed issue |
| Plan tiers | Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum | Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum |
Benefit-by-benefit comparison
The summaries below come from the published plan documents for each carrier. Exact limits vary by tier, so treat these as the range you can expect across each lineup, then check the tier you would actually buy on our plans directory.
Drugs
- Alberta Blue CrossListed in 12 of 12 plans
- Pays 70 to 90 percent with direct billing. Blue Assured maxes out between 250 and 5,000 dollars per year by tier, and Blue Choice allows 10,000 dollars annually, falling to 2,000 dollars at age 65. Brand and generic drugs are not restricted, and vaccines, contraceptives and diabetic supplies are covered.
- ManulifeListed in 7 of 7 plans
- Mostly generic-only. FlexCare ComboPlus Starter caps at 525 dollars per year, Basic pays 70 percent of the first 750 dollars within a 5,000 dollar maximum, and Enhanced is the standout at 90 percent of the first 2,222 dollars then 100 percent up to 10,000 dollars, with brand name drugs included. FollowMe plans pay 80 percent of generics up to 500 to 2,600 dollars.
Routine Dental
- Alberta Blue CrossListed in 11 of 12 plans
- Routine care at 70 to 90 percent after a three month wait, with combined maximums of 600 to 750 dollars in year one growing to as much as 2,000 dollars. The Retiree series has no waiting period and reaches 5,000 dollars of combined dental on its top tier.
- ManulifeListed in 5 of 7 plans
- FlexCare covers cleanings, fillings and exams at 70 to 100 percent of initial amounts, with basic dental maximums of 400 to 920 dollars per year. FollowMe Enhanced Plus and Premiere reimburse 80 percent of basic services with maximums that ramp from 700 or 800 dollars in year one to 1,000 or 1,500 dollars by year three.
Major Dental
- Alberta Blue Cross
- Crowns, bridges and implants at 50 to 60 percent after two years, dentures and periodontics after one year, and orthodontics at 50 percent with lifetime maximums of 2,000 to 2,500 dollars on Enhanced+ and Premium tiers.
- Manulife
- Thinner. FlexCare Starter and Basic exclude root canals, oral surgery and all major restorative work. FlexCare Enhanced covers oral surgery and endodontics at 60 to 80 percent and major work at 60 percent starting in year two. FollowMe Premiere is the only FollowMe tier with crowns, bridges and dentures, at 60 percent from year two.
Vision
- Alberta Blue CrossListed in 11 of 12 plans
- Allowances of 100 to 600 dollars per two years including eye exams, scaling with tier. Eleven of twelve plans include vision; only Blue Choice Basic leaves it out.
- ManulifeListed in 7 of 7 plans
- Every plan includes vision: 100 percent reimbursement up to 150 to 300 dollars every two years for glasses, contacts or laser surgery, plus 60 to 70 dollars toward optometrist visits.
Travel
- Alberta Blue CrossListed in 12 of 12 plans
- All twelve plans include emergency travel medical at 100 percent with a five million dollar lifetime maximum. Standard plans cover trips of 10, 17 or 30 days until age 65; Retiree plans stretch from 30 to 120 days and stay available to age 85.
- ManulifeListed in 3 of 7 plans
- Only FlexCare includes travel: five million dollars of emergency coverage per trip, but limited to 9 day trips and subject to a 100 dollar deductible per claim. Longer 8 or 21 day extensions are paid add-ons. FollowMe plans list no built-in travel benefit.
Paramedical
- Alberta Blue CrossListed in 11 of 12 plans
- Per visit caps by practitioner, such as 35 to 75 dollars for chiropractic and 50 dollars for physiotherapy or massage, under combined annual maximums of 350 to 650 dollars. Entry tiers cover psychologists including iCBT at 75 dollars per visit.
- ManulifeListed in 7 of 7 plans
- Covers registered specialists including chiropractors, osteopaths, naturopaths, podiatrists, massage therapists, acupuncturists and dietitians, with per person annual maximums set by plan and a 35 dollar yearly allowance for chiropractic x-rays.
Underwriting: how you qualify
Both carriers offer guaranteed acceptance, medical underwriting and guaranteed issue, so the comparison comes down to terms. On guaranteed acceptance, Alberta Blue Cross gives you four Blue Assured tiers up to a platinum level, while Manulife offers one entry option, FlexCare ComboPlus Starter. On medical underwriting, Blue Choice accepts applications to age 64, and FlexCare ComboPlus Basic and Enhanced have no stated age cutoff. The sharpest difference is group conversion: Manulife FollowMe gives you 90 days after employer benefits end and has no age requirement, while the Alberta Blue Cross Retiree series allows 60 days and is reserved for applicants 50 and older. For anyone with health conditions who is leaving a job before 50, FollowMe is the only guaranteed issue door between these two.
New to these terms? See our plain-language guides to underwriting, pre-existing conditions, waiting periods and how your premium is set.
See real prices for your situation
Premiums for both carriers depend on your age, province and who is on the policy, so the fastest way to compare costs is a personalized quote. You can also estimate your out-of-pocket dental costs with our dental services calculator.
Frequently asked questions
My employer benefits just ended. Should I look at FollowMe or the Retiree plans?
Check your age and your deadline first. Manulife FollowMe accepts applications without medical questions for 90 days after group coverage ends, at any adult age. Alberta Blue Cross Retiree plans allow 60 days and require you to be at least 50. If you are younger than 50, FollowMe is your guaranteed issue option; if you are over 50 in Alberta, compare both on benefits before the shorter Blue Cross window closes.
Which carrier covers brand name prescription drugs?
Alberta Blue Cross does not restrict its drug plans to generics, and its Blue Choice plans allow up to 10,000 dollars of prescriptions per year. Most Manulife plans reimburse generic drugs only; the exception is FlexCare ComboPlus Enhanced, which covers brand name and generic drugs up to a 10,000 dollar annual maximum.
How do the travel benefits compare for snowbirds?
Neither is ideal for months-long trips on a base plan, but Alberta Blue Cross goes much further. Its Retiree plans cover trips of 30 to 120 days with a five million dollar lifetime maximum and remain available until age 85. Manulife FlexCare covers only the first 9 days of a trip with a 100 dollar deductible, and FollowMe plans include no travel benefit at all.
What is the difference between their guaranteed acceptance plans?
Depth of choice. Alberta Blue Cross sells four guaranteed acceptance tiers, Blue Assured Basic through Premium, with drug maximums up to 5,000 dollars, dental ladders and even orthodontics on upper tiers. Manulife offers a single guaranteed acceptance plan, FlexCare ComboPlus Starter, with a 525 dollar drug maximum and basic dental capped at 400 dollars per year.
Can I get either carrier anywhere in Canada?
Manulife yes, Alberta Blue Cross no. Manulife FlexCare and FollowMe are sold in twelve provinces and territories. Alberta Blue Cross individual plans are limited to Alberta and the Northwest Territories, so residents of other provinces comparing these two brands will only be able to apply for Manulife.