About your plan

OCSU, along with many other colleges and universities across Canada, offers an extended health and dental plan to help students cover the cost of medical needs. Our coverage is provided by Green Shield Canada and covers a wide variety of services.

Please note that the Students’ Union is required to adhere to and respect legislation, which governs the protection of privacy. Accordingly, personal information relating to student accounts, health and dental plan enrolment and application, and claims shall remain confidential to approved parties; and the personal details of a student account shall remain confidential to the Students’ Union, Okanagan College and the student. Therefore, private information about student accounts will not be released to parents.

Eligibility

Eligible:

At this time, only students who have a full-time course load* (at least 9 credits per semester) and whose program is at least 16 weeks long, are eligible for the Health & Dental plan. Students who are eligible for the plan are automatically enrolled.

*Full time students who are enrolled through Distance Education are not eligible.

Not eligible:

  • ABE students
  • Part-time students (students with fewer than 9 credits per semester)
  • Distance Education students
  • Co-op students
  • Students whose program is less than 16 weeks long

Your Health & Dental plan provider is Green Shield Canada.

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Opting Out?

Scroll down or click here for information on opting out of the benefits plan

About Your Coverage

How to tell if you’re covered

Eligible students are automatically charged for the plan when they get their fee statement. The easiest way to determine if you are on the OCSU Extended Health & Dental plan is to look at your fee statement.

If you are already on the plan, you will see two lines: One for the extended health plan, and one for the extended dental plan. Combined they add up to either $125/semester or $250 for a 6 month+ program.

Not automatically charged:

  • Part time students
  • ABE students
  • Co-op students
  • Students enrolled in programs shorter than 12 weeks in length

What does the plan cover?

Your plan covers a wide range of services. We’ve listed some of the most asked-about ones below. You can check the full range of coverage here.

  • Prescriptions: 80% up to $2000/year.
  • Dental: 70% for routine care & cleanings up to $700/year
  • Chiropractors & Physiotherapists: $45/visit up to $300 a year.

Your GSC ID Number

Your GSC ID is OSU[your student number]-00. So for example, OSU300123456-00. This is the number you give to your health care practitioner to directly bill your claim to Green Shield.

Using and accessing your plan

When you pick up prescription meds, or go to the dentist, or see a physiotherapist, be sure to let the practitioner (or the receptionist) that you have health insurance. Give them your GSC ID number, which is OSU[your student number]-00. A portion of the bill will immediately and automatically be paid by Green Shield (if the service/medical item is covered in your plan) so you pay less money out-of-pocket. This is called direct billing.

You can also manually submit claims. This is useful if your provider doesn’t do direct billing, or you forgot to give them your GSC ID. You submit claims by creating an account on Green Shield’s website – more on that below. A typical claim submission includes filling out a form and uploading a picture of a receipt. Be sure to sign up for direct deposit so you get your money back faster!

If you have any questions about your plan/coverage, feel free to ask us!

For technical issues with your GSC online account, Green Shield are your experts.

How to create an online account

While registering for an online account isn’t necessary to use your plan, it’s strongly encouraged. Registering for online services lets you submit claims manually and gives you access to things like your claims history, health tips, plan details, and more. You can even submit practice claims, which is useful for checking how much Green Shield will pay for your service and how much you will have to pay out of pocket.

Online services are not available during the Blackout/Registration period. Once the Blackout is over you will also get an email with instructions on how to set up your online account from our third-party plan administrator, J&D Benefits.

If you have any problems with registering your account, or you have any questions, please contact us.

When can claims be submitted?

Direct billing and online registration for the plan is not available for students in the first 8 weeks of their program, or the fall semester. This is because students are still adding and dropping classes, as well as adding and dropping the plan. Once the Registration Period is over, students can create their account at student.greenshield.ca and submit any current claims, or back-dated ones to their start date. Students will also be able to directly bill their claims from their service provider at this time.

Dates & Deadlines 2021-2022

Please note that students may only opt out at the start of their program/year.
If your program starts on:Then your coverage starts:And your coverage ends:Your deadline to opt out is:
January 4 2022January 1 2022December 31 2022February 3 2022
January 5 2022January 1 2022December 31 2022February 4 2022
August 30 2021September 1 2021August 31 2022September 29 2021
September 7 2021September 1 2021August 31 2022October 7 2021
September 8 2022September 1 2021August 31 2022October 8 2021

Opting Out

Students who have extended health and dental coverage through another provider can choose to opt out of the OCSU Health & Dental plan. 

All Opt Outs MUST be submitted to OCSU no later than 30 calendar days after your program’s start date. 

To opt out, you must  fill out the entire form found here. Late and/or incomplete opt-outs are not accepted under any circumstance.

You must provide your current plan’s policy number when filling out the online opt-out form in order to prove that you have valid coverage. If OCSU is unable to verify your coverage, you may be required to submit additional proof.

Opt Out Here

International Students

If you are an International Student studying outside of Canada, and you don’t plan on coming to Canada for any part of your studies, you can you can email health-dental@ocsu.ca and complete a health and dental deferral form. This will remove the health and dental fees for 12 months. The deadline to do this is 30 calendar days after your classes start.

The Registration/Blackout Period

You will be in a blackout period at the start of each school year while Green Shield collects and updates your enrolment information. Don’t worry. You can still submit paper claims for health or dental services. Green Shield will process your claims on file once your information is updated. The blackout period can last up to the first 8 weeks of classes. 

Once the enrolment is complete and the blackout period ends, you can sign up for Plan Member Online Services. Through Plan Member Online Services, you can:

  • Submit claims electronically
  • Sign up for direct deposit (to get paid faster!)
  • Read your full benefits booklet
  • Search for a provider near you
  • Connect to the Change4Life® health portal
  • Search drugs by DIN to see if coverage eligibility
  • And much more!

You’ll need your GSC ID number to sign up for Plan Member Online Services and GSC on the Go after the blackout period. Remember, your GSC ID number is the letters “OSU,” your student number, and “-00” (example: OSU300123456-00).

Other Benefits

  • Legal Assistance

    OCSU Health Plan Members, through Prosum Health Benefits and Sykes Assistance Services provides you with timely, cost-effective access to experienced lawyers to guide you through most major types of law, including: Family, Criminal, Civil litigation, Landlord and tenant, Residential real estate, Wills and Estates, Tax, Employment, Condo/Strata, Immigration and Identity Theft Support. As a member of the Health Plan you have access to unlimited free summary telephone legal advice and unlimited referrals to local lawyers at preferred rates.

    You can call on the toll-free number 1 877-333-3884 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to speak to a customer service representative who can put you in touch with a lawyer at no charge. Advice lawyers are available to call clients from 8 am to Midnight daily. Please do not hesitate to request a call back after regular business hours, on weekends or holidays.

  • GOeVisit

    Access to medical appointments online from anywhere, at anytime!  If you don’t have access to your family doctor, need medical help after-hours, or are simply too busy to sit in a waiting room, we have a solution for you. The BC Federation of Students has arranged for Okanagan College Students’ Union members to access a cutting-edge, online medical service. GOeVisit provides access to Canadian doctors who can diagnose and treat over 80 minor illnesses all through your computer, smartphone or tablet. If you need a prescription, the doctors at GOeVisit can just send it straight to a pharmacy of your choice. It’s that easy! Download the free app or go online to goevisit.com and register today! For Canadian students, there’s no fee to enrol, and no fee to use GOeVisit! Have questions? GOeVisit is there to help! Give them a call anytime at 1.866.318.4748

  • GSC Health Assist Link

    The GSC Health Assist LINK program offers guaranteed coverage (no medical questionnaire) for you and your family for day-to-day medical, dental and travel expenses, as well as unforeseen health expenses. This program may be your solution if you, your spouse or your dependent children are losing or have lost group health and/or dental benefits within the last 90 days and are looking for coverage. Click here to apply, or contact Prosum Health Benefits Inc. at 1.855.751.6590 for assistance.

Graduation and Summer Coverage

How long does the coverage last? Am I covered over the summer?

Yes! Your coverage lasts for 12 consecutive calendar months, even through summer.

How long does the coverage last after graduation?

The coverage period is 12 months after your program’s start date, regardless of when you graduate.

For example, let’s say you started your final semester in September and you’ll be graduating in December. Your coverage will be valid until August, even though you are no longer in school.

Can I continue on a plan with Green Shield after my coverage expires?

Yes! Visit greenshield.ca for details on how to continue your own extended coverage.

Can I opt in for my summer courses?

No, the summer semesters do not meet the minimum course length requirement. Students are not charged for extended Health & Dental during the summer. Students who started in the Fall or Winter semesters will most likely have coverage continued through the summer months due to their 12 month plan.

Still have questions?

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We respectfully acknowledge that our places of work are on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Syilx/Okanagan people & Secwepemc Shuswap people.