Exemptions
Only certain International students are eligible to be exempted from the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan. International students who have health insurance provided by their employer or a parent’s plan are not exempt.
Who qualifies for an exemption?
The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) is the provincial medical insurance plan that covers all Quebec residents (permanent residents and Canadian citizens). You need a Quebec Medicare Card to access services.
Due to intergovernmental agreements, full-time students from the following countries are eligible for Quebec medical benefits at no cost.
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Luxembourg
- Norway
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Sweden
To be eligible for this benefit, you must be covered under your government’s medical system before your arrival in Quebec.
Get a Quebec Medicare card
To obtain a Quebec Medicare Card, students must be registered full-time for courses and present the following documents to the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) (Quebec medicare office):
- Proof of insurance, or a certificate of affiliation with the health plan of their country of origin (see note below)*
- A clear and legible copy of the biographical page from your current and valid passport
- A clear and legible copy of your CAQ (Quebec Acceptance Certificate) – if studying for more than one semester
- Proof of Full-Time Registration (except students holding the French SE-401-Q-106 or SE-401-Q-104 forms)
– Obtain an Attestation Letter confirming your full-time status at Concordia
*Proof of insurance or certificate of affiliation with the health plan of their country of origin:
- Belgium: Form BE/QUE 128
- Denmark: Denmark Health Card
- Finland: Form SF/Q 4
- France
- Form SE-401-Q-102 (student registered in a study program leading to a diploma)
- Form SE-401-Q-104 (student taking part in a mandatory, unpaid training period)
- Form SE-401-Q-106 (student taking part in an exchange)
- Greece: Form GR/QUE 6
- Luxembourg: Form LUX-QUE 4
- Norway: Attestation issued by the HELFO (health administration) or by NAV (Norwegian national insurance scheme for abroad)
- Portugal: Form POR/QUE 4
- Romania: Form ROU/QUE 106
- Serbia: Form SRB/QUE 14
- Sweden: Attestation issued by a competent institution certifying the student's right to healthcare coverage
Important: you will be asked for your Quebec telephone number (area code 514 or 438 for example). If you do not have a local number, please use 000-000-0000.
Once you have received your RAMQ or your letter of admissibility - whichever you receive first - don't forget to opt out of ISO's Blue Cross insurance plan.
International students who receive a scholarship from a sponsoring organization or government that includes health insurance and tuition fees are eligible to opt out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan. Eligible government organizations include:
- CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)
- ICCS (International Council for Canadian Studies)
- CBIE (Canadian Bureau for International Education)
- WUSC (World University Service of Canada)
The scholarship letter should clearly mention the group health insurance coverage as well as the duration of the policy. The duration of the exemption would be based on the dates indicated on the scholarship letter.
Refugee claimants and convention refugees are eligible to opt-out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students if they show proof of medical coverage by the Canadian or Quebec Government.
Students who have a valid Quebec Medicare card / Carte d’assurance maladie du Québec are eligible to opt out.
If you become a Permanent Resident of Canada, you may be eligible to opt out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan. To do so, simply provide proof of your Permanent Resident status, such as your Record of Landing document. Your exemption or adjustment will be based on the date the International Students Office receives this document.
As a new Permanent Resident, you can apply for a Quebec Medicare card, and we encourage you to do so as soon as your status changes. It typically takes about three months for your card to be issued. In the meantime, we recommend keeping your Blue Cross Health Insurance until you receive your Quebec Medicare card to ensure you have uninterrupted coverage.
How to opt-out?
To opt-out of Blue Cross insurance, you must show proof of coverage. Your documentation must be in English or French, and indicate the period and amount of coverage available in Canada.
To complete the opt-out process:
- Email iso@concordia.ca
- Include your student ID# in the subject line
- Request to opt-out
- Attach the document for your situation such as:
- valid Quebec Medicare card / Carte d’assurance maladie du Québec or a letter of admissibility from Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) confirming the start and end date of your Quebec Medicare card
- eligible sponsorship letter which clearly mentions the health insurance coverage as well as the duration of the policy
- Record of Landing document or Permanent Residency card (front and back)
The Ministère de l’Éducation, de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche requires this information, it and must be in the Concordia student’s file for audits and reports purposes.
Should your coverage (private or government plan) expire during the academic year, you must extend that coverage and present that proof to the ISO; otherwise, you will be automatically registered in the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan and charged the respective health insurance fees.
How often will you need to opt out?
As long as you are eligible for an exemption, you must opt-out of the health insurance plan once a year.
Even if your proof of insurance (for example, your Medicare card) is valid for longer than the current benefit year, you still need to repeat the opt-out process every year.
Opt-out deadlines
Adjustments or cancellations are based on the date the ISO receives a copy of your supporting documentation.
Insurance plans are based on a monthly rate from the first day of the month to the last day of the month. For you to obtain the fullest refund, be sure to submit your opt-out request the following deadlines of your first term:
- September 30 (if you start your studies during the Fall term or if you are a returning student)
- January 31 (if you start your studies during the Winter term)
- May 31 (if you start your studies during the Summer term)
After your first term, you must request this exemption by whichever of the following date applies to your situation:
- Every time your document expires (mostly for sponsorship documents)
- Every September of each academic year (mostly for RAMQ holders)
Failure to provide the ISO with the required documents by the above-mentioned dates will result in the student getting charged for the full academic term.
What happens if you withdraw from your program?
Students who withdraw from their program must contact the ISO to cancel the Blue Cross Plan. The Blue Cross Plan will be cancelled based on the date the request is submitted, and students will receive a partial refund.
For example: if you withdraw in February and ask the ISO to adjust your plan in March, you will be refunded from April onward.
Your Blue Cross Plan cannot be cancelled once the coverage year has ended.
Note: Additional documents may be requested by ISO Advisors. Requests will only be considered complete when all relevant documentation has been received and reviewed.
Refunds
Students who qualify for an exemption and who have filed a claim under Blue Cross Plan for International Students can only receive a retroactive refund for the period (term) following the claim.
