Currently, the Saskatchewan Health Authority contributes 2.1% of straight time payroll toward the 3sHealth Extended Health and Enhanced Dental Plan for HSAS members. This contribution rate is set out in Article 30.05 of the HSAS–SAHO Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and has not changed in the 25+ years since it was implemented in 2000.

Unfortunately, the current contribution rate and existing reserves are no longer sufficient to support the current benefit levels. If a new contribution rate is not agreed to and implemented, the plan will be subject to benefit reductions by July 1, 2026.

HSAS members could experience benefit reductions of up to 35% to Extended Health and Enhanced Dental coverage.

Letter of Understanding #15 in the CBA guarantees support for HSAS benefit levels and requires the parties to meet if employer funding becomes insufficient to maintain those benefits. 3sHealth and the Joint Board of Trustees have repeatedly warned SAHO and the Saskatchewan Health Authority that current funding is no longer adequate, and HSAS has made multiple requests of the parties over the past year to meet and address this issue.

Despite these efforts, SAHO has declined to engage in a timely manner.

The Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) is a non-profit, non-government association which provides services to Health Sector Employers throughout the province.

SAHO acts as the bargaining agent for the Employer, the Saskatchewan Health Authority. They participate in the bargaining process as the representative of the SHA.

3SHealth is the administrator of your Extended Health & Enhanced Dental Benefit Plan.

 The link below outlines the current coverage and also includes eligibility criteria.

https://www.3shealth.ca/3sh-ebp-docs/is-extended-health-care-and-enhanced-dental-plan-commentary-1

At this point in time, no determination has been made outlining which benefits would be affected and the extent to which they would be reduced. 

That costing process is conducted by the actuary for the trustees of the Employee Benefit Plans. When more information is made available, it will be shared.

No, you would not lose your EH & ED benefits entirely, but they would be reduced. This might mean less percentage of coverage for certain services, or it could mean a lower dollar amount allotted to certain services.

Which benefits and to what degree they may be reduced has not been determined at this time.

If a new contribution rate is not agreed upon and implemented by July 1, 2026, the current 2.1% contribution rate will be insufficient to sustain the cost of benefits. Reductions to benefits would be put in place at that time.

HSAS is committed to doing everything we can to protect your benefits. We are meeting with and demanding that the Government of Saskatchewan, specifically the Ministry of Health direct SAHO and the SHA to meaningfully engage in the process – which means setting dates and working towards an agreement in a timely manner to avoid any reduction in benefits.

We have also filed a formal grievance for refusing to participate in discussions with the goal of agreeing to a sufficient contribution rate. The SHA has not been compliant with the HSAS-SAHO Collective Bargaining Agreement. As the Employer, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is responsible to uphold the CBA.

HSAS has repeatedly requested that this issue be made a priority at the table and SAHO has continued to decline engaging in a timely manner on this critical matter. HSAS will continue to push SAHO, the SHA, and Government of Saskatchewan to cooperate in this process as soon as possible.

With changes made in the SAHO negotiating team composition in the fall of 2025, we had hoped we would see a more collaborative, solutions-focused attitude at the bargaining table. Unfortunately, this has not been the case and SAHO has declined to address this issue in a reasonable time-frame to prevent impacts to member benefits.

HSAS has met with SHA leadership about this issue, where we were told that they took this seriously and did not want any reduction in benefits to occur. Despite this, we have not seen movement that would arrive at a timely resolution.

With the current climate at the bargaining table, it was important to let our members know what is not happening and what the potential impacts might be so that they become aware, involved and also be provided notice in the event that plans or preparations were required should benefit reductions occur for them.

If benefit reductions were implemented and if enhanced dental services had been determined to be an area that reductions would be applied to in order that costs be managed – then the extent of your coverage for those services would be affected.

If benefit reductions were implemented and if drug coverage had been determined to be an area that reductions would be applied to in order that costs be managed – then the extent of your coverage for that service would be affected.

No.  Group life insurance and disability coverage are separate plans.

There are a number of ways you can get involved to help:

Call your MLA
Let the Government of Saskatchewan know how you feel about this issue and how important your Extended Health & Enhanced Dental benefits are to you and your family. Let them know the impacts of SAHO’s reluctance to discuss this urgent issue.

Click here to find out who your MLA is: https://www.elections.sk.ca/voters/findmyconstituency/

Click here to find their contact information: https://www.legassembly.sk.ca/mlas/mla-contact-information/

Write your Government Representatives
Using the form below with a prefilled email, personalize it with your firsthand experience and opinions and let your representatives know how you feel. You can send to the Minister of Health, and your MLA.

https://win.newmode.net/healthsciencesassociationofsaskatchewan/urgentconcernhealthcareworkerbenefitsatrisk

Add your voice to the message
A short survey regarding this issue was emailed out to all members on March 4, 2026. Please provide your thoughts there and HSAS will bring your anonymous responses to the SHA, the Government of Saskatchewan.

If you have not received that email, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we will send you the link.

All updates will first be sent to members via email – please reach out to us at [email protected] to provide or update your email address if you haven’t received any emails from us before.

We will include reminders on our social media to check your email when new updates are out.

Any non-confidential updates will also be included on our website here: https://www.hsas.ca/information-for-members/news/

As we receive more questions, we will update this FAQ.

Calculations have been performed to determine the shortfall between the amount of money contributed by the Employer (at 2.1% of regular pay) and the actual cost of delivering those benefits. This is done by calculating the cost of usage of benefits by members plus the cost of administering the benefits and comparing that to what extent the contribution rate is covering those costs.

At this time, and as indicated in previous FAQs, we have not received information outlining exactly which benefits and to what extent they would be impacted if the contribution level is not increased and benefits are reduced.

Wages have increased and 2.1% of those increases in wages over the years would result in a greater dollar amount to use for covering benefit costs. However, that number has not increased enough to cover off how much the cost of benefits has increased. A higher percentage of the regular wages is required to cover the increased and increasing costs.

If a reduction in benefits was necessary, decreases in coverage would be on a go forward basis. There would not be claw backs for reimbursements already paid to you.