Medical

MSP – Care Card

MSP (Medical Services Plan) is British Columbia’s provincial health insurance plan. Anyone living in BC for six months or longer (including international students) is required by law to enroll in MSP and pay the plan’s premiums.

All international students are required to have medical coverage. To get started, students bring their passport and Study Permit to the International Education Program office as soon as possible after arrival in BC. After a waiting period of three months, Health Insurance B.C. – Medical Services Plan (MSP) will cover students with study permits of 6 months or longer. At the end of the waiting period, MSP will issue a CareCard which will provide medical services in the same manner as all British Columbians. When visiting a doctor for services covered under the plan no cash payment is required for the visit. However, the patient must present their card to be able to receive services.

Each CareCard has an expiry date which is usually the same expiration date as the Study Permit. The International Education office will pay premiums to MSP on behalf of its students. However, when the student ceases to be part of International Education Program of New Westminster School District #40, the student and his/her parent/guardian is responsible to maintain their MSP coverage. To ensure continuous MSP coverage, students must provide a copy of their Study Permit to the International Education Program Office whenever their Study Permits are renewed.

Private Coverage

Students with Visitor Permits: The International Education office will purchase private medical coverage for short-term students for the duration of their studies at the district known as Guard.Me@School

Students with Study Permit: The International Education office will purchase private medical coverage for the three-month waiting period for MSP. The three-month medical coverage will be provided through Guard.Me@School. Parents should be aware that when the MSP insurance begins there is no additional or extended insurance coverage.  Parents may wish to purchase extended insurance for the duration of their child’s stay in New Westminster.

The school district purchases private medical coverage on behalf of international students through Guard.Me International Insurance of Canada. Shortly after arrival, each international student will receive an envelope from Guard.Me@School with an ID card, Policy and Claim Form. The international student must keep their ID card with them at all times and, in case of illness or injury, may visit any doctor. Some medical clinics will bill Guard.Me directly. If direct billing is not available, the student must pay the clinic directly and ask the doctor to complete the claim form including the doctor’s stamp and signature. The international student must mail the completed and signed claim form together with all original receipts to Guard.Me Claims at the address outlined on the claim form. If the student is hospitalized, the student or hospital should contact Guard.Me immediately at the numbers listed on the back of their ID card (24 hour Emergency Procedures). Should you have any concerns or questions, please contact our office at 604-517-6285.

The nearest clinic which provides Direct Billing to Guard.Me is Elicare: Royal City Medical Clinic on the second floor of the Royal City Shopping Centre located on the northwest corner of 6th Avenue/6th Street.

EliCare
228B-610 Sixth Street, New Westminster, BC
Tel: 604-545-0420