[ARCHIVED] MEDICAL INSURANCE FAQ ON COVID-19 FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Last updated: July 22, 2022

View Frequently Asked Questions for:

Newly Admitted Students

Current Students

Leaving or Returning to BC

General Information:

NEWLY ADMITTED STUDENTS

I am an international student and have questions regarding my medical insurance. Who should I contact?

Students and their dependent family members must have medical insurance for the entire duration of their stay in Canada. The Canadian health system provides a high standard of health care, but care is very expensive if you are not insured. SFU international students, recent graduates, dependent family members, and newly admitted students can contact an International Student Advisor should they have any questions about their primary or secondary medical insurance in Canada. For more information about medical insurance in Canada, please visit the SFU Medical Insurance website.

I have been accepted to SFU to start in the Spring 2023 term. Due to COVID-19, I will be taking online courses from my home country. Am I still required to have primary medical insurance in Canada?

The current policy is that you must have medical insurance for the entire duration of your studies. As a new international student, you will be automatically enrolled in a 4-month primary medical insurance plan with guard.me@SFU for your first term of studies

If you already have a valid coverage through BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) or one of the eligible plans, or are outside of Canada you may be able to opt out of (cancel) the guard.me@SFU Plan. If you opt out because you are not in Canada for the Spring 2023 term, when you travel to Canada, please contact International Services for Students to learn about medical insurance options. 

To opt out of (cancel) guard.me@SFU, visit their website. Click the "Undergraduate Students" or "Graduate Students" category and follow the opt-out instructions. The opt-out periods can be viewed here.

I have been accepted to SFU to start in the Spring 2023 term. Due to COVID-19, I will be taking online courses from my home country. Am I still required to have secondary medical insurance (SFSS/GSS Health and Dental Plan)?

Eligible students will be automatically enrolled in the SFSS/GSS Health and Dental Plans for the policy year 2022-2023 in the Spring 2023 term. As this is an annual plan, there is no opt-out option only for the Spring term due to remote studies. 

Where can I find information and updates about my secondary medical insurance (SFSS/GSS Health and Dental Plan)?

If you are an undergraduate student enrolled in the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Health & Dental Plan please visit the Studentcare website for information about your policy. 

If you are a graduate student enrolled in the Graduate Student Society (GSS) Benefits Plan please visit the Studentcare website for information about your policy. 

CURRENT STUDENTS

My BC MSP is expiring with my study permit.  I applied to extend my study permit but given the processing times my application will not be processed before my current study permit and BC MSP expire.  What can I do to ensure I have medical insurance while I wait?

BC MSP has confirmed that eligible individuals residing in BC with maintained status while waiting for a subsequent work or study permit may be eligible for an initial six months to temporary coverage, with addition temporary coverage provided is applicable.

If your temporary permits have expired and you no longer have BC MSP coverage, you may be provided temporary MSP coverage if:

  • You have applied for a new study or work permit (maintained status/formerly known as implied status);
  • Remain in BC on maintained status while waiting for a subsequent work or study permit;
  • Were previously enrolled with MSP;
  • Individuals must demonstrate they hold maintained status by providing Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receipts showing they applied for their new permit before the expiration of their original permit (or documentation from IRCC if a receipt is not available); and,
  • If the temporary coverage is requested four weeks or longer after the expiration of their original permit, the individual will also need to provide documentation from IRCC demonstrating their application is still active. This may be from the IRCC website or documentation from IRCC.

Individuals should contact Health Insurance BC to request this temporary coverage. For more information please visit the BC MSP website.

I am currently covered by Guard.me@SFU plan (or another private medical insurance plan) and I have never applied for BC MSP. My study permit is expiring soon and I applied to extend my study permit but given the processing times my application will not be processed before my current Guard.me@SFU plan expires.  What can I do to ensure I have medical insurance while I wait?

If you are a full-time SFU student, you can purchase an interim coverage through guard.me while you wait for your study permit. The guard.me@SFU plan is available at $2.30 per person per day with a minimum purchase of 60 days. Please visit their website.

Note that all British Columbia residents (including study permit holders) are required to enroll with the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (BC MSP), BC’s provincial primary medical insurance plan. Once you have received your new study permit, apply for MSP right away. Please visit the BC MSP website to apply.

How can I update my BC MSP once I have my new study permit?

Once you have received your new study permit you can notify BC MSP by completing an online form and uploading a copy of your new study permit.  Please visit the BC MSP website for more information.

I have guard.me@SFU primary medical insurance.  Will I continue to be covered if I get sick?

If your policy is valid, you are covered for all new and emergent conditions and medically necessary treatment, including COVID-19.  You can confirm the dates of your coverage on your guard.me ID Card, if you are currently covered by guard.me@SFU plan. More information about guard.me@SFU can be found on the guard.me@SFU website.

Please note if you start your studies in the Spring 2023 term, your  coverage will expire on April 30, 2023. Note that all British Columbia residents (including study permit holders) are required to enroll with the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (BC MSP), BC’s provincial primary medical insurance plan.  If you have not yet applied for BC MSP please visit the MSP website to apply.

If I get sick can I still see a doctor using my guard.me@SFU insurance or BC MSP?

If you are insured by guard.me@SFU and are sick, you are able to access mobileDOCTOR by guard.me for consultation with a doctor from your home. You need to have your policy number as well as a list of your symptoms and how long you have had them to speak with a doctor. For more information visit the guard.me@SFU website.

If you are covered by BC MSP, you can access the Maple website for online medical consultations. Be prepared with your BC MSP Card as well as a list of your symptoms and how long you have had them, along with any information about your travel history.

If you are feeling ill with COVID-19 symptoms, please consult with the HealthLink BC website and the BC Centre for Disease Control website for instructions on care.

LEAVING OR RETURNING TO BC

I have BC MSP and will be leaving Canada due to COVID-19. What will happen to my BC MSP coverage?

  • For absence less than 6 months:

You can maintain BC MSP coverage for up to 6 months of absence from BC. If your absence is less than 6 months, you have the option to keep BC MSP. If you decide to keep BC MSP, you will have to continue paying the monthly health fee; however, you will not have to reapply for BC MSP or be subject to the coverage wait period when you return to BC. Please contact BC MSP directly to discuss your options.

  • For absence longer than 6 months:

You will need to contact BC MSP directly to inform them with the details of your departure and the intended date of return or submitting a written request by mail and documents of proof such as flight tickets with departure date from Canada, or a stamp in your passport showing that you have already left Canada, and include your personal details (such as your full name and personal health number).

  • If you cancel your BC MSP

You will have to reapply for BC MSP when you return to BC and be subject to the coverage wait period before MSP coverage can be renewed. This means it is important for you to consider whether you will have adequate medical insurance coverage upon your return to Canada. You will need to purchase private medical insurance (e.g. Guard.me interim coverage) before you return to Canada to cover you during the three-month waiting period. Please contact us when you are making your travel plan to learn about your options.

  • If you are unsure of your travel plan:

You will need to contact BC MSP directly to discuss your options. 

To contact Health Insurance BC regarding your BC MSP coverage, please visit MSP website.

 

If I decide to keep guard.me@SFU plan while I am outside of Canada, when I move to Canada, will it be still valid?

If you start in the Spring 2023 term, your guard.me@SFU plan is valid from Janaury 1, 2023 to April 30, 2023. If you plan to be outside of Canada during the Spring 2023 term, note that you must spend more than 50% of the total Coverage Period in Canada and also travel to the United States is limited to 30 days per trip. If you spent less than 50% of the policy duration in your home country your coverage would be valid for the remainder of the policy if you come to Canada.

I opted out of the guard.me@SFU plan because I was not in Canada for my first term at SFU. Now I am planning to travel to Canada. What do I do?

As soon as you arrive in BC, you should apply for BC MSP. This is the provincial primary medical insurance plan and it is legally required for all eligible BC residents to be enrolled. There is a 3-month waiting period for new residents. You can still apply as soon as you arrive, but the coverage will only start once you fulfill your waiting period. Before you travel to Canada, please contact an International Student Advisor to learn about medical insurance options to cover you during your BC MSP waiting period.