Re: sisip cola with vac cola percentages

by derngt Mon 06 Feb 2023, 10:04

1993firebird wrote:Hello ,

I am covered by Manulife for 35% and VAC for 15% because Manulife is the primary coverage and therefore must be applied to first. I was part of the SISIP class action lawsuit and appealed to get my claim with Manulife granted and won. Now I receive a COLA amount of 2% from Manulife when if I did not take part in the appeal process in the class action lawsuit I would receive 6.5 % from VAC on 50% because I am covered by VAC as well for the same benefits I receive from Manulife. Is there a lawsuit in progress for this or a way to refuse coverage from Manulife so I can go from 2% on 35% from Manulife to 6.5% on 35% from VAC?

Your numbers make no sense. SISIP is paying you 75% and VAC is paying you 15%. The COLA amount/lawsuit etc has nothing to do with each other. The 2% is policy and until this year all was well with the 2% for the last 20 plus year. The lawyers were asked if there was grounds for a lawsuit due to the 2%max with SISIp the answer was NO. I say again NO. No lawyer will fight this policy. SO time to move on.

by 1993firebird Mon 06 Feb 2023, 08:40

Hello ,

I am covered by Manulife for 35% and VAC for 15% because Manulife is the primary coverage and therefore must be applied to first. I was part of the SISIP class action lawsuit and appealed to get my claim with Manulife granted and won. Now I receive a COLA amount of 2% from Manulife when if I did not take part in the appeal process in the class action lawsuit I would receive 6.5 % from VAC on 50% because I am covered by VAC as well for the same benefits I receive from Manulife. Is there a lawsuit in progress for this or a way to refuse coverage from Manulife so I can go from 2% on 35% from Manulife to 6.5% on 35% from VAC?

by derngt Tue 10 Jan 2023, 06:40

puddleduk2 wrote:No firm answer on vac creating another class of veteran in coverage

thank you for the info on percentages (70% versus 75% @ age 65), good thing i am asking questions and not stating fact

i can only speak for myself in that i am as abbreviated ‘dec’, that at age 65 the amount will be reduced and fall under vac instead of currently combined under both sisip and vac

too many changes to the abbreviations to keep up with them all in the last decade

all of my current coverages under, sisip ltd, cpp(d) and vac have signed consent to access each others files to confirm any and all amounts received including and not limited to my cra taxation filing done each year.

another question on the 90% irb lifetime amount.

is this from when granted to the veteran, or from release, as i have been out since 2004, but only started receiving this extra coverage on top of sisip since granted about 5~6 years ago?

Just to clarify its 70% of your current 90% IRB. I released in 2005 and didn't start back with VAC until 2018. When my IRB was calculated it was based on the 2019 salary and not my salary at release. When I became DEC in 2019 I was also given the career progression factor. I also get SISIP and am collecting CPPD. Yes at 65 its going to be a mess making sure I get paid correctly. BTW the various groups do not communicate as they should. It is still the responsibility of the veteran to provide any financial update.

by puddleduk2 Mon 09 Jan 2023, 17:19

No firm answer on vac creating another class of veteran in coverage

thank you for the info on percentages (70% versus 75% @ age 65), good thing i am asking questions and not stating fact

i can only speak for myself in that i am as abbreviated ‘dec’, that at age 65 the amount will be reduced and fall under vac instead of currently combined under both sisip and vac

too many changes to the abbreviations to keep up with them all in the last decade

all of my current coverages under, sisip ltd, cpp(d) and vac have signed consent to access each others files to confirm any and all amounts received including and not limited to my cra taxation filing done each year.

another question on the 90% irb lifetime amount.

is this from when granted to the veteran, or from release, as i have been out since 2004, but only started receiving this extra coverage on top of sisip since granted about 5~6 years ago?

by derngt Mon 09 Jan 2023, 05:48

puddleduk2 wrote:Sisip is limited to a yearly cola maximum increase of 2%.

Vac’s cola increase for 2023 is 6.3% as covered on previous posts on this site.

Sisip covers 75%,

Vac covers the additional 15%, bringing the combined percentage to 90% coverage.

Those solely covered by vac see 90% on coverage.

At age 65 sisip ceases, vac covers those going forward a decreased amount equal to 75% of coverage.

Those solely on vac for coverage will also see a decrease to 75% of coverage.

My query based on an amount of $100 used as a percentage, or 100%

Member 1 on sisip coverage - $75 x 2%. = $1.50
vac coverage - $ 15 x 6.3%. = 0.94
Total @ 90% coverage with a $2.44 cola increase per $100 salary on coverage.

Member 2 on vac coverage - $90 x 6.3% = $5.67
Total @ 90% coverage is an increase of $5.67 cola increase per $100 salary on coverage.

Both members are covered at 90%, but the programs do not weigh the same at the end of the day until after
age 65.

Those who were mandated into sisip will see less than half the cola coverage,

this will not just be a this year (2023) issue,

DND holds the sisip policy and VAC are joined, minister (dnd) and deputy minister (vac/dnd).

My question is does VAC cover the difference of the cola as they both mirror, modify, and coordinate with the sisip coverage, both before and after age 65?

Oh and at 65 your IRB drops to 70% of your 90% IRB amount. This only applies if you are declared DEC. Otherwise you simply lose the IRB. Its import to pass on correct information.

by derngt Mon 09 Jan 2023, 05:43

puddleduk2 wrote:Sisip is limited to a yearly cola maximum increase of 2%.

Vac’s cola increase for 2023 is 6.3% as covered on previous posts on this site.

Sisip covers 75%,

Vac covers the additional 15%, bringing the combined percentage to 90% coverage.

Those solely covered by vac see 90% on coverage.

At age 65 sisip ceases, vac covers those going forward a decreased amount equal to 75% of coverage.

Those solely on vac for coverage will also see a decrease to 75% of coverage.

My query based on an amount of $100 used as a percentage, or 100%

Member 1 on sisip coverage - $75 x 2%. = $1.50
vac coverage - $ 15 x 6.3%. = 0.94
Total @ 90% coverage with a $2.44 cola increase per $100 salary on coverage.

Member 2 on vac coverage - $90 x 6.3% = $5.67
Total @ 90% coverage is an increase of $5.67 cola increase per $100 salary on coverage.

Both members are covered at 90%, but the programs do not weigh the same at the end of the day until after
age 65.

Those who were mandated into sisip will see less than half the cola coverage,

this will not just be a this year (2023) issue,

DND holds the sisip policy and VAC are joined, minister (dnd) and deputy minister (vac/dnd).

My question is does VAC cover the difference of the cola as they both mirror, modify, and coordinate with the sisip coverage, both before and after age 65?

To clarify, the VAC indexing rate is 6.5%, the 6.3% is for your CF pension only. NO VAC will not make up the difference. In fact, and based on their VAC policy you have to report all income increases. Therefore, VAC can claw back all your SISIP indexing amount. Remember your IRB is capped at 90%. This clearly was not thought out when VAC added IRB. 2% or less was the going indexing rate for decades. I am holding 2 letters based on VAC policy one says report new income and my IRB will be reduced and another letter stating I don't need to report added income. No one thought our indexing would go up so drastically. So be careful in what you ask VAC

by Lordporky Mon 09 Jan 2023, 00:03

Thanks for your post -I didn’t know sisip was capped at 2%. It all makes sense now!

Im one on those 75% sisip, 15% vac people. I recently saw the cola increase to irb on myvac account and it was much more than the expected 6.3 %. I emailed them seeking clarification but only got a “trust us, it’s right” kind of answer. I’m not loving that because overpayments are always recollected eventually.

Your post could explain why the bump was more than 6.3%. Maybe vac is making up the difference?

I’m surprised this wasn’t communicated to us. Maybe there’s a letter coming in the mail.

I’ll reply again if I get more information.

by puddleduk2 Sat 07 Jan 2023, 09:10

Sisip is limited to a yearly cola maximum increase of 2%.

Vac’s cola increase for 2023 is 6.3% as covered on previous posts on this site.

Sisip covers 75%,

Vac covers the additional 15%, bringing the combined percentage to 90% coverage.

Those solely covered by vac see 90% on coverage.

At age 65 sisip ceases, vac covers those going forward a decreased amount equal to 75% of coverage.

Those solely on vac for coverage will also see a decrease to 75% of coverage.

My query based on an amount of $100 used as a percentage, or 100%

Member 1 on sisip coverage - $75 x 2%. = $1.50
vac coverage - $ 15 x 6.3%. = 0.94
Total @ 90% coverage with a $2.44 cola increase per $100 salary on coverage.

Member 2 on vac coverage - $90 x 6.3% = $5.67
Total @ 90% coverage is an increase of $5.67 cola increase per $100 salary on coverage.

Both members are covered at 90%, but the programs do not weigh the same at the end of the day until after
age 65.

Those who were mandated into sisip will see less than half the cola coverage,

this will not just be a this year (2023) issue,

DND holds the sisip policy and VAC are joined, minister (dnd) and deputy minister (vac/dnd).

My question is does VAC cover the difference of the cola as they both mirror, modify, and coordinate with the sisip coverage, both before and after age 65?

by Sponsored content