Eligibility Criteria
All eligible domestic and international students studying for more than 12 months are automatically enrolled in the student health and dental plan, and they will find the fees added as part of your term fees. The Health and Dental Plan fees are mandatory and must be paid as well as the Tuition total charges by the applicable deadline to avoid overdue penalties.
The Health and Dental plans were approved by the students' referendum and as a result, are now a requirement of your enrolment at Concordia University of Edmonton through your membership in the Students' Association. The plans provide protection and security for eligible students minimizing the effects of injury or ailments.
The Student Health and Dental Plan provided by the Concordia Students' Association is automatically added to students who meet all the following criteria:
- Accepted into and remain declared in an eligible program as having full-time status; and
- Assessed a Student Association Fee; and
- Students' members of the Concordia Students' Association - CSA; and
- Students' members of the Graduate Students' Association (GSA) - International students only, studying more than 12 months; and
- Students residing in Canada studying in person or online; and
- Students under the age of 70.
Emergency Transportation and Repatriation Plan
International students studying in a program for 12 or more months are automatically enrolled in the Emergency Transportation and Repatriation Plan. This plan covers international students in the event of an accident, sickness, injury, critical illness, or death, and need to return to their home country or country of citizenship.
Students with Accessibility Accommodations
Students who are taking a part-time course load due to physical or mental health conditions may be eligible to opt-in to the Student Health and Dental Benefits Plan. Students are required to fill out a full-time status application at the Concordia University of Edmonton to be considered full-time with a reduced course load. Please contact the Learning Accommodation Services prior to any applicable deadline.
Enrollment Confirmation
If you are not sure if you meet the eligibility criteria, please visit the Online Services at the University and log in using your account. If you see the Health and Dental Fees included in your tuition, you are covered by the Health and Dental Plan provided by the Students Association.
If you are unsure about whether or not you are eligible for the Student Health and Dental plans, please contact your Benefit Plan Office at concordiaplan@mystudentplan.ca prior to any applicable deadlines.
Validation Period
There is a 60-day validation period from the start of the term. During this time, you will have to pay out of pocket for all eligible Health and Dental expenses and keep the receipts. After the enrollment process is complete, you will be able to submit online claims for reimbursement and your Plan Card will be automatically activated.
The validation period applies only to new students, students who apply for re-enrolling and family members added to the plan. Returning eligible students may continue using the health and dental plan without disruption.
Plan Card
For students eligible for the health and dental plan, the Plan Card includes all the information the service provider requires for direct billing.
Direct billing is the process between the healthcare provider and the insurer - Canada Life that allows them to submit & pay your eligible claims directly and you would only have to pay the co-portion that is not covered by the plan. Direct billing is based on the service provider's billing practices and whether or not they are set up for direct billing.
Generate and show your Plan Card to the service provider and ask if they can direct bill. You can use the electronic card by emailing it to yourself and showing it on your phone or if you have access to a printer, you can print it and show the paper copy.
If you are an eligible new student, re-enrolled, or have added a family member you will automatically be activated for direct billing for pharmacies and dental offices however for direct billing to work at optometrists and paramedical practitioners you must first register on my.canadalife.com and update your address, including the postal code in your profile section.
Eligible returning students can continue using the same plan card as the policy information remains the same. You do not need to generate a new card every year.
If your service provider is not set up for direct billing, you will need to pay the full amount out of pocket and then submit your receipt online claims for reimbursement.
The card will be automatically activated once the validation period is over. Eligible returning students can continue using the same plan card as the policy information remains the same. You do not need to generate a new card every year.
Generating a card does not mean you are eligible for the Student Health and Dental Plan.
Canada Life online tool
my.canadalife.com is an online tool that provides you access to your group benefits plan. It is important to register on Canada Life once your plan is active. For new students, there are approximately 60 days from the start date of your program for the enrollment process to be completed. Through my.canadalife.com you can submit claims, check balances, investigate claim status and history, and setup Direct Deposit of claim payments. For more information, please visit the Submitting Claims section.
Welcome to your Student Group Plan, watch a short video about your benefits.
Coverage Period
Effective Date
Eligible students will receive coverage starting the first day of the semester when their programs begin.
- Fall Semester: Coverage begins September 1st and ends August 31st.
- Winter Semester: Coverage begins January 1st and ends August 31st.
- Spring Semester: Coverage begins May 1st and ends August 31st.
Benefit Year
The benefit year is September 1 - August 31 the following year. The student may have 12 months, 8 months, or 4 months of benefits coverage under the Student Health and Dental Plan depending on when they first start their program or return after taking a break from school.
During the benefit year, eligible students can use their benefits according to the limit amount defined per service. You cannot carry forward any benefits. The benefits start the same day as the effective date of your coverage. The benefits will restart every year on September 1st.
For instance, if the effective date of your plan is January 1st, your benefits start on January 1st and end on August 31st and if you return in the fall your benefits will start on September 1st and end on August 31st of the following year. If the effective date of your plan is September 1st, your benefit year starts on September 1st and ends on August 31st of the following year.
Termination Date
The termination date of your benefits is the last day of the coverage period, which is August 31st.
Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP)
International Students
All International students studying in a program for more than 12 months are eligible for the Provincial Health Plan and must apply directly with the Alberta Government for the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan - AHCIP. Students need to download and complete the appropriate form and bring it to a participating registry agent's office. There are no premiums or payments to be registered with the AHCIP.
- Coverage begins once your application has been approved and you are registered.
- Your personal health care card is mailed to you.
Any insured health services you receive and pay for before your application is processed may be reimbursed once you have your personal health care card. You will have to show eligibility for the period when you received the services.
The following links provide complete information about the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP):
Domestic Students from another province or territory
If you are in Alberta temporarily to attend school full-time and plan to return to your home province or territory after your studies, you must maintain your health insurance coverage with your home province or territory.
If you stay in Alberta after your studies, you need to apply for coverage in Alberta after your studies are completed.
Coordination of Benefits
For eligible students who already have a benefit plan, you can utilize both your private plan and your student plan to obtain more coverage. This is called Coordination of Benefits and allows you to maximize your Health & Dental coverage!
How to Get up to 100% Coverage
Use your Student Health and Dental Plan and another plan from your parents, spouse, government, job, or band to maximize your coverage! Your plans can work together to make sure you're getting the most out of your coverage.
The primary insurer is the first payor of the eligible health or dental care costs. Once paid, a claim can be submitted to the secondary insurer for any remaining amounts that are eligible for coverage and not paid by the primary insurance company.
How to identify your primary insurance
If a student is eligible for the Student Health and Dental plan and the student is covered by another plan under a parent's or spouse's as a dependent, the primary insurance is the Student Health and Dental Plan.
Students who have Health or Dental coverage through their school: these plans will always pay before any plan where the student is covered as a dependent.
The Student Health and Dental plan pays first.
If a student is eligible for the Student Health and Dental plan and the student is covered by another plan under job, government, or band the primary insurance is the one you have had the longest.
Students who have Health and Dental coverage through their employer: the student needs to confirm the effective date of all insurances to determine which plan has been in effect the longest.
The plan you have had the longest pays first.
Submitting Claims
After you have identified which is your primary and secondary insurance, submit the claim to your primary insurance first. Once you receive the Explanation of Benefits, you can then submit the remaining unpaid portion to your secondary insurance.
Student Health and Dental Plan as Primary Insurance.
Submit the claim to your student plan (Canada Life). Once processed, submit any portion that remains unpaid to your secondary insurance plan.
Student Health and Dental Plan as Secondary Insurance.
If you have an alternative insurance plan that you are also the primary holder of, and that has been in effect longer than your student plan, all eligible claims will be submitted to your alternative plan first. Once the claim is processed, submit any portion that remains unpaid to your student plan.
Submitting Claims for Your Spouse (if applicable).
Submit the claim to your spouse's primary plan first. Next, any unpaid portion can be submitted to your student plan.
Submitting Claims for a Dependent Child (if applicable).
Submit the claim to the parent's plan whose birthday falls first in the year (this is their primary benefit plan). Next, any unpaid portion can be submitted to the parent’s plan whose birthday falls second in the year.
- Take a copy of your original receipt before you send it to your primary plan as you will need to send a copy to the secondary plan.
- Include a copy of the Explanation of Benefits statement received from the first claim submission (primary plan), as well as a photocopy of the originally submitted receipt when you submit to your secondary plan.
Not Eligible
There are personal insurance solutions available for students who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Student Plan, who are going to graduate or leave the school, or who miss the deadline to add family members, re-enroll, or opt-in to the Student Plan.
My personal insurance solutions from mystudentplan
My personal insurance solutions fit the needs of students who are not eligible for the Student Health and Dental Plan. This may apply to you because you may not meet the eligibility criteria for the student plan, or you may be changing enrollment status, graduating, or leaving school. There are many coverage and enrolment options at cost-effective rates, including options that do not require medical questionnaires or exams to qualify for coverage.
Personal Insurance Scenarios
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I don't have mystudentplan: I am not eligible to have mystudentplan and want information on purchasing personal insurance. This option also applies to students who missed the re-enroll or opt-in deadline for their student plan.
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I am losing mystudentplan: I am graduating or leaving school and want information on purchasing personal insurance.
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I want to cover my family: I missed the deadline to add family members to mystudentplan and want information on purchasing personal insurance for my family.
The personal insurance solutions are offered in partnership with Canada Life through their Freedom to Choose™ individual insurance products.