Eligibility Criteria
All eligible domestic and international students are automatically enrolled in the student health and dental plan in the Fall semester, and you will find the fees added as part of your tuition 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 enrollment at Douglas College through your membership in the Student Union. 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 Douglas Students' Union is automatically included in the Fall semester to students who meet all the following criteria:
- Students members of the Douglas students' Union; and
- Students enrolled in 6 credits or more at Douglas College; and
- Students residing in Canada studying in person or online.
Enrollment Confirmation
If you are unsure about whether or not you are eligible for the Student Health and Dental plans, please contact your New Westminster Benefit Plan Office at info.nwcampus@thedsu.ca or David Lam Campus Benefit Plan Office at info.coqcampus@thedsu.ca prior to any applicable deadlines.
Opt-In to the Plans for non-automatically-eligible students
Part Time Students
In the fall semester, for a limited period of time, part-time students enrolled in a minimum of 3 credits and who are not automatically enrolled in the plan, may enroll provided they submit the completed opt-in form and pay the applicable fee defore the applicable deadline.
Part-time students enrolled in a minimum of 3 credits but fewer than 6 credits in the Fall semester may enroll in the plan, provided they complete the enrollment process and pay the required $425 premium prior to the applicable deadline.
It is the student's responsibility to complete the Individual Enrollment form and provide payment of the applicable fee(s) prior to the deadline.
January Start Students
In the winter semester, for a limited period of time, all students attending the College for the first time in the Winter semester and enrolled in a minimum of 3 credits, may elect to enroll in the plan, regardless of the number of credits, provided they submit the completed opt-in form and pay the applicable fee defore the deadline.
All students attending the College for the first time in the Winter Semester and enrolled in a minimum of 3 credits, may elect to enroll in the plan, regardless of number of credits, provided they complete the enrollment process and pay the required $375 premium prior to the applicable deadline.
Validation Period
There is a 45-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 - Green Shield Canada 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.
Complete the Card Registration Form, once you get it, show your Plan Card to the service provider and ask if they can direct bill. You can use the electronic card by saving the file and showing it on your phone or if you have access to a printer, you can print it and show the paper copy.
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.
GSC everywhere
Green Shield Canada everywhere is an online tool that provides you access to your group benefits plan. It is important to register on Green Shield Canada everywhere once your plan is active. For new students, there are approximately 45 days from the start date of your term for the enrollment process to be completed. Through GSC everywhere 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.
Coverage Period
Effective Date
Eligible students will receive coverage starting with the first day of the month their program begins.
- Fall Term: Coverage begins September 1st and ends August 31st.
- Winter Term: Coverage begins January 1st and ends August 31st.
Benefit Year
The benefit year is September 1 - August 31 the following year. The student may have 12 months or 8 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. For example, If the effective date of the plan is September 1st, the termination date is August 31st the following year. If you want to confirm the termination date of your plan, please contact your Benefit Plan Office at info.nwcampus@thedsu.ca or info.coqcampus@thedsu.ca.
BC Fair PharmaCare
The Fair PharmaCare plan helps B.C. residents pay for many medications and pharmacy services and some medical supplies. You must be a B.C. resident and fully enrolled in the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) to register. Fair PharmaCare is based on income: the less you earn, the more help you get.
By coordinating Fair PharmaCare and the Student Health Plan, many enrolled students will enjoy lower out-of-pocket charges for their eligible prescription drugs.
Students with net incomes less than $15,000 two years ago and who are registered for MSP on their own, not under their family’s plan, will get the most help. PharmaCare will pay 100% of eligible prescription drug costs for them. For students earning more than $15,000 but less than $30,000 per year, Fair PharmaCare will pay 70% of eligible costs right away, and the Student Benefits Plan will pay up to 80% of the remainder.
To apply for Fair PharmaCare, go to my.gov.bc.ca/ahdc and have this information ready:
- Personal Health Number (on your BC Services Card)
- Net Income from 2 years ago (line 23600 on your income tax return). If you did not file taxes 2 years ago, you may be able to submit a Fair PharmaCare Proof of Income Affidavit Form
- Social Insurance Number
You will receive your Fair PharmaCare registration number immediately.
If you need help registering, you discover you are already registered, or if you prefer to register over the phone, please call: 604-683-7151 (Lower Mainland) or 1-800-663-7100 (toll-free from anywhere in B.C.).
Once your registration is complete, and you have received your registration number, you must complete the Plan Card Registration Form.
Please note: If you are not a permanent resident of B.C., you must still fill out the Plan Card registration form, providing your home province or country in place of the Fair PharmaCare registration number.
All B.C. residents must be enrolled in MSP. For more information, please visit the British Columbia Ministry of Health website.
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.