Eligibility for exemptions
Only certain International students are eligible to be exempted from the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students.
Private health insurance plans are not accepted.International students who have health insurance provided by their employer or through a parent’s plan are not eligible for an exemption from the Concordia Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students.
Who qualifies for an exemption
As a result of intergovernmental agreements, full-time students from the countries listed above who were covered under their government’s medical system before their arrival in Quebec, will be eligible for the Quebec medical benefits (called Quebec Medicare Card or Carte d’Assurance-Maladie du Québec) at no cost.
To obtain a Quebec Medicare Card, students must be registered full-time for courses and present the following documents to the office, called Québec Medicare Office or, in French, Régie de l'Assurance Maladie du Québec (RAMQ):
- Proof of insurance, or a certificate of affiliation with the health plan of their country of origin*
- Two pieces of ID (in the case of students from France, proof of French citizenship such as Passport)
- Original CAQ (Québec Acceptance Certificate) – If studying for more than one semester
- Proof of Full-Time Registration (except students holding the SE-401-Q-106 form or the SE-401-Q-104 form) – Obtain an Attestation Letter confirming your full-time status at Concordia, available at the Birks Student Service Centre, LB-185. This letter may take 5 working days to be processed and will cost you $20.00
- $9 plus taxes (to have your photo taken on the premises)
* Proof of insurance, or a 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), or Form SE-401-Q-104 (student taking part in a mandatory, unpaid training period), or 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
- Sweden: Attestation issued by a competent institution certifying the student's right to healthcare coverage
**The forms issued by the Caisse des Français à l’étranger (CFE) for use by French students registered as insured persons or dependants of an insured person are accepted by the RAMQ.
In order to apply for the Québec Medicare Card you must go in person and take with you all necessary documents as mentioned above at the address indicated below. A $9.00 fee (plus tax) will be charged to take your photograph.
425 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W., 3rd floor,
metro: McGill (exit Union Street)
514-864-3411
ramq.gouv.qc.ca
International students who receive a scholarship from a sponsoring organization or government (such as CIDA, ICCS, CBIE, WUSC) that includes health insurance and tuition fees are eligible to opt-out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students.
To complete the opt-out process, students must:
- Email iso.healthinsurance@concordia.ca
- Include their student ID# in the subject line of their email
- Attach their scholarship letters to their email
- Request to opt-out
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.
To complete the opt-out process, students must:
- Email iso.healthinsurance@concordia.ca
- Include their student ID# in the subject line of their email
- Attach their proof of medical coverage to their email
- Request to opt-out
Students who have a valid Quebec Medicare card / Carte d’assurance maladie du Québec are eligible to opt out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students.
To complete the opt-out process, students must:
- Email iso.healthinsurance@concordia.ca
- Include their student ID# in the subject line of their email
- Attach either a scan of the front of their Medicare card OR the 1st page of their letter of amdissibility from Medicare to their email
- Request to opt-out
International Students who become Permanent Residents of Canada are eligible to opt out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students once they show proof of their Permanent Resident status, such as the Record of Landing document. An exemption/adjustment will be based on the date the International Students Office receives the Record of Landing document.
To complete the opt-out process, students must:
- Email iso.healthinsurance@concordia.ca
- Include their student ID# in the subject line of their email
- Attach their PR document to their email (if using your PR card, please make sure to include both front and back of the card)
- Request to opt-out
New Permanent Residents are eligible to apply for a Quebec Medicare card, and are encouraged to do so as soon as their status changes. The Quebec Medicare card will be issued approximately three months following the application. We recommend that new Permanent Residents maintain the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students, and only opt out once they have received their Quebec Medicare Card.
IMPORTANT
How to opt out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students
The proof must be presented in English or French indicating the period and amount of coverage available in Canada. You must email one of the listed below documents to iso.healthinsurance@concordia.ca (don't forget to include your student ID# in the subject line of your email):
- 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 PR card (front and back) for Permanent Residents
This information is required by the Ministère de l’Éducation, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche and must be in the Concordia student’s file for audits and reports.
Should this coverage (private or government plan) expire during the academic year, you are responsible for extending the coverage and providing proof of it to the ISO; otherwise, you will be automatically registered in the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students and charged the respective health insurance fees.
How often should you repeat the opt-out process?
Since health insurance fees are charged on a yearly basis when you register for courses or CIP (Continuing in Program), you will have to repeat the process each year in September when health insurance fees are automatically charged on your student account. Even if your proof of insurance (for example, your Medicare card) is valid longer than the current benefit year, you still need to repeat the opt-out process every September. Otherwise, you will be automatically registered in the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students and charged the respective health insurance fees.
Deadlines for opting out of the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plan for International Students
Adjustments or cancellations will be based on the date the ISO receives a copy of the above-mentioned supporting documentation. Insurance plans are based on a monthly rate from the first day of the month to the last day of the month. As such, and in order for the student to obtain the fullest refund, the request for adjustments or cancellations should be made by:
- September 30 (if you start your studies during the Fall term)
- 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 Sponsirship documents)
- Every September of each academic year (mostly for RAMQ holders)
Failure to provide the ISO with the requireed documents by the above-mentioned dates will result in the student getting charged for the full academic term.
Withdrawal from program
Students who withdraw from their program must request to cancel the Blue Cross Plan by contacting the ISO. The Blue Cross Plan will be cancelled based on the date the request is done and students will receive a partial refund. Blue Cross Plan cannot be cancelled once the coverage year has ended.
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 (months) following the claim.
