Alberta Retired Teachers' Association
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association (ARTA) is a non-profit founded in 1963 that designs, administers, and self-insures health, dental, and travel benefit plans for more than 33,000 retirees and eligible employees across Alberta's education, public, and private sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersEdmonton, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Alberta Retired Teachers' Association does
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association (ARTA) is a non-profit member association established in 1963 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, that designs, administers, and underwrites health, dental, and travel benefit plans for retirees and eligible active employees across Alberta and a satellite footprint in British Columbia. The organization serves more than 33,000 members through three vertical segments — education (retired teachers, post-secondary instructors, school support staff, ATRF and ATA contributors), public sector (Government of Alberta, UNA, HSAA, municipal employees, LAPP/PSPP/SFPP/MEPP vested retirees), and private sector professionals (MNP, CPA, CPHR, APEGA, ASET, real estate, credit unions) — distributed via more than 100 participating organizations and 17 Alberta branches plus one BC satellite.
ARTA operates ten Extended Health Care plan tiers ranging from an entry-level Primary Health plan to Build-Your-Own options (Health Wise, Health Wise Plus, Health Wise Rx, Total Health, Ultimate Health, Complete Health) and Comprehensive plans (Core Health, Essential Health, Enhanced Health), with pricing based on age, coverage level, and sector-specific rate sheets. The technology stack centers on the MyARTA member portal and MyARTA Health Hub for claims submission, eligibility, and benefits administration, supplemented by API-free integrations with GreenShield Health (virtual counselling), Maple (24/7 telemedicine), and Beneva/AXA Assistance (emergency travel underwriting and 24/7 travel assistance). In 2024 ARTA launched ARTARx, Canada's first plan-owned pharmacy operating in Edmonton and Calgary, which is structurally embedded inside Health Wise Rx and Complete Health to deliver 100% prescription drug coverage, medication synchronization, and free home delivery.
The business model is a non-profit, self-insured subscription model: premiums are set annually based on claims experience by sector, reviewed by a Health Benefits Committee and Board of Directors, and all premiums remain within the plan to fund claims and a Rate Stabilization Reserve built since 2000. Administration was brought in-house in 2021, eliminating third-party administrator costs. Revenue is recurring monthly direct-bank-withdrawal premiums with annual renewal cycles on November 1, plus ancillary revenue from ARTARx pharmacy operations whose profits flow back into the plan's sustainability. In 2024, ARTA paid out approximately $50 million in Extended Health Care claims, $22 million in prescription drug benefits, $16 million in paramedical practitioner services, and $32 million in dental benefits, indicating premium inflows in the low nine figures.
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alberta Retired Teachers' Association
- Legal name
- Alberta Retired Teachers' Association
- Website
- https://artabenefits.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Alberta Retired Teachers' Association (ARTA) is a non-profit founded in 1963 that designs, administers, and self-insures health, dental, and travel benefit plans for more than 33,000 retirees and eligible employees across Alberta's education, public, and private sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retiree Health and Dental Benefits
- NAICS
- Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Individual & Family Dental Plans (Exchange/Off-Exchange) (HLAEABAE)
Keywords
Where Alberta Retired Teachers' Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edmonton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Member Premiums: ARTA operates as a non-profit association where all premiums paid into the Health Benefit Plans stay within the plan. Premium rates are set annually based on claims experience for each sector (Education and Public/Private), reviewed by the Health Benefits Committee and Board of Directors.
- Emergency Travel Insurance Premiums: Fully insured travel coverage component negotiated with underwriter Beneva. Monthly rates are included in Extended Health Care plan premiums. Travel insurance can be extended through supplementary coverage purchased in 15-day increments up to 212 days.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Primary Health - Entry level plan for active employees and retirees under 65 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Build-Your-Own Plans (Health Wise, Health Wise Plus, Health Wise Rx, Total Health, Ultimate Health, Complete Health) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Comprehensive Plans (Core Health, Essential Health, Enhanced Health) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ARTA is a non-profit association that sells customizable Extended Health Care, dental, and emergency travel benefit plans to retired educators, public sector employees, and private sector professionals across Alberta and British Columbia. It supplements its core health plans with Canada's first plan-owned pharmacy (ARTARx), supplementary travel coverage, and integrated virtual health resources including telemedicine and counselling. Plans are delivered on a member-owned, self-insured basis with monthly premiums withdrawn directly from members' bank accounts.
Product overview
ARTA operates as a comprehensive retiree benefit plan provider offering a portfolio of ten distinct Extended Health Care plans organized into Introductory, Comprehensive, and Build-Your-Own categories. The core products include Primary Health (entry-level), Core/Essential/Enhanced Health (comprehensive under-65 plans), and Health Wise series (customizable Build-Your-Own plans). ARTA Rx, Canada's first plan-owned pharmacy, provides prescription services with 100% drug coverage for enrolled members in Edmonton/Calgary. Emergency Travel Insurance, Supplementary Travel Insurance, Dental Care Options, and Virtual Health Resources (GreenShield counselling, Maple telemedicine) function as integrated add-on modules available across plan tiers. MyARTA Health Hub serves as the member-facing claims portal, while ARTA Perks offers supplemental discount programs. The plan operates on a non-profit model where all premiums support plan sustainability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ARTARx: Canada's first plan-owned pharmacy, providing prescription services, travel vaccinations, pharmacist consultations, and medication delivery for ARTA members in Edmonton and Calgary areas.
- MyARTA Health Hub
Products and services
- Extended Health Care Plans (Primary Health, Core Health, Essential Health, Enhanced Health, Health Wise, Health Wise Plus, Health Wise Rx, Total Health, Ultimate Health, Complete Health) A family of ten customizable Extended Health Care benefit plans offered to retired educators, public sector employees, and private sector professionals in Alberta and BC. Plans are organized into Introductory (Primary Health, for active employees and retirees under 65), Comprehensive (Core, Essential, Enhanced Health, for individuals under 65 with full travel and dental), and Build-Your-Own (Health Wise, Health Wise Plus, Health Wise Rx, Total Health, Ultimate Health, Complete Health). Coverage levels range from 80% to 100% for drugs, paramedical, vision, hearing aids, and emergency travel, with combined annual and overall maximums varying by plan.
- ARTARx Pharmacy Canada's first plan-owned pharmacy serving ARTA members within the Edmonton and Calgary service zones. Provides prescription filling, travel vaccinations, pharmacist consultations, medication synchronization, and free home delivery. Members enrolled in eligible plans (Health Wise Rx, Complete Health) receive 100% coverage for prescriptions dispensed by ARTARx.
- Emergency Travel Insurance Emergency travel coverage included in most ARTA Extended Health Care plans with no termination age, no pre-existing condition stability clauses, and 100% coverage for emergency medical expenses up to $5 million per trip. Provides 92 days of coverage per trip (15 days for Primary Health with 90-day stability clause), trip cancellation and interruption up to $10,000, and 24/7 travel assistance coordinated by AXA Assistance. Underwritten by Beneva.
- Supplementary Travel Insurance
Quantifiable outcome
- Emergency travel coverage pays $5 million maximum per person per trip with $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption coverage
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Alberta Retired Teachers' Association
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GreenShield HealthcoreGreenshield Health provides virtual counselling services integrated into ARTA's Extended Health Care benefit plans. Members access mental health support including individual counselling (up to 5 hours), couples counselling (up to 5 hours), health coaching, and financial/legal consultations through the MyARTA Health Hub.
- BenevacoreBeneva is the underwriter for ARTA's Emergency Travel Insurance. They handle emergency travel claims and coordinate assistance through their subsidiary AXA Assistance. Travel coverage includes $5 million maximum per person per trip with no termination age.
- AXA AssistancecoreAXA Assistance provides 24/7 travel assistance services for ARTA members abroad. They arrange hospital admissions, physician consultations, payments to healthcare providers, and coordinate repatriation when needed.
- Orbit Insurance ServicesminorOrbit Insurance Services provides ARTA members with access to home and auto insurance at special rates, and offers life insurance specifically designed for ARTA members.
- HearingLife CanadaminorHearingLife Canada provides audiology services and hearing aids to ARTA members through the ARTA Perks discount program.
- Maple (Telemedicine)coreMaple provides 24/7 telemedicine services allowing ARTA members to connect with Canadian-licensed doctors via phone, tablet, or computer. Average wait time under 10 minutes for virtual consultations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Beneva: Large Canadian mutual insurance company that underwrites ARTA's travel coverage. Broad portfolio of group benefits and P&C insurance nationally, with overlapping products in the health and travel space.
- Sun Life Financial: One of Canada's largest group benefits and insurance providers offering health, dental, travel, and retirement products competing for the same retiree and group segments ARTA addresses.
- Manulife Financial: Major Canadian insurer with extensive group benefits, retiree health, and travel insurance offerings; broad incumbent competitor in the same benefit categories ARTA serves.
Regional players
- Pacific Blue Cross: BC-based non-profit health benefits provider serving individuals and groups, including retiree plans. Relevant given ARTA's BC satellite and comparable non-profit, region-specific benefits orientation.
Direct peers
- Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP): Provides group health and dental benefits to active Alberta school employees, and historically partnered with ARTA as a third-party administrator. Direct overlap on plan design, geography, and education-sector customer base.
- OTIP (Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan): Provides insurance and group benefits to education-sector employees in Ontario; analogous products, distribution through school-affiliated networks, and education-sector retirement pipelines make it a structural twin in another province.
- RTOERO (Retired Teachers of Ontario): Non-profit association serving retired educators in Ontario with comparable health, dental, and travel benefit plans. Closest direct functional analog to ARTA's retiree-focused benefits model.
- Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation: Provincial teachers' federation offering member benefits including retiree-oriented coverage. Comparable mission, target audience (educators), and benefit-plan distribution model.
- British Columbia Retired Teachers' Association: Association representing retired BC educators, with benefit offerings and member-services support analogous to ARTA. Relevant given ARTA's BC satellite branch.
Emerging players
- GreenShield Canada: Canadian health-benefits and insurance provider with growing presence in integrated virtual care (GreenShield Health), directly overlapping with ARTA's counselling and telemedicine integrations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association social profiles
Digital presenceAlberta Retired Teachers' Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alberta Retired Teachers' Association
What does Alberta Retired Teachers' Association do?
ARTA is a non-profit association that sells customizable Extended Health Care, dental, and emergency travel benefit plans to retired educators, public sector employees, and private sector professionals across Alberta and British Columbia. It supplements its core health plans with Canada's first plan-owned pharmacy (ARTARx), supplementary travel coverage, and integrated virtual health resources including telemedicine and counselling. Plans are delivered on a member-owned, self-insured basis with monthly premiums withdrawn directly from members' bank accounts.
Is Alberta Retired Teachers' Association a public or private company?
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Alberta Retired Teachers' Association founded?
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association was founded in 1963. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Alberta Retired Teachers' Association based?
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Alberta Retired Teachers' Association make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Member Premiums are the primary driver. The others are emergency Travel Insurance Premiums.
Who are Alberta Retired Teachers' Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Beneva, Sun Life Financial and Manulife Financial. Pacific Blue Cross is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP), OTIP (Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan), RTOERO (Retired Teachers of Ontario), Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation and British Columbia Retired Teachers' Association. GreenShield Canada is listed as an emerging player.
Does Alberta Retired Teachers' Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alberta Retired Teachers' Association.
What industry is Alberta Retired Teachers' Association in?
Alberta Retired Teachers' Association's product category is Retiree Health and Dental Benefits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAEABAE, Individual & Family Dental Plans (Exchange/Off-Exchange). Its NAICS code is 5251 and its SIC code is 6411.