Provided that a student has personal extended health insurance outside of UBC, that student may choose to opt out of the AMS/GSS Health & Dental Plan. Opting out should occur during the change of coverage period in order to be processed. To get more information on opting out, visit this website. Please note that if you graduate in Term 1 (and are not at UBC for Term 2), you are still covered by the plan until August 31.
There are two types of opting out:
1) Permanent opt out
If you choose the permanent opt out, you do not need to opt out again from the Health & Dental Plan for the duration of your studies at UBC. If you decide that you would like to re-enrol, there are some restrictions and a penalty that would apply. If you have any questions, contact Studentcare before making your choice.
2) Annual opt out
The annual opt out is effective from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, and if you are enrolled as a student the following September, you are automatically re-enrolled in the Health & Dental Plan. If you decide to opt out again for the following year, you must renew the decision online, but you do not need to submit proof of other coverage again.
How to Opt Out
There are two steps that must be undertaken when opting out:
1) Opt out online
To initiate the opt out, click here and follow the instructions. You will need your student ID number and your birth date. Opting out may only occur during the change of coverage period.
2) Submit proof of coverage
In order for the opt out process to occur, you must provide proof that you have equivalent extended health and dental coverage. The MSP provides only basic coverage, and is not sufficient to opt out. If your proof is already in electronic form, it can be uploaded to your profile. If you must obtain an electron copy of your proof, you may return to upload it later, provided that you do so before the end of the change of coverage period.
Acceptable proof may be a screenshot of a summary of benefits from an insurance company’s website that indicates your coverage, or a copy of a certificate or card that indicates your coverage, or a letter from the plan sponsor or the insurance company that indicates your coverage. Accepted file formats are PDF, a Word file (.doc), or an image file (.tiff, .gif, .jpg, .png). Opt out requests made by telephone, mail, e-mail, or fax cannot be accepted.