Health and Dental

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Summary of Your Benefits

The CSU Health and Dental Plan is offered to the undergraduate student body at Concordia University. If you are enrolled in more than three credits per semester and are paying tuition fees at the Canadian or Quebec rates, you will automatically receive coverage. If you are taking three or less credits, you may still be eligible for self-enrollment.

The Health and Dental Plan provides many benefits not covered by provincial health insurance, such as vision and dental care, as well as coverage when traveling abroad. Furthermore, it can be combined with other insurance plans to maximize your coverage and benefits.

The cost of the CSU Health and Dental Plan for full-year coverage is $225.00 ($105.00 for Health, $120.00 for Dental) and is included as part of your tuition bill.

If you wish to opt out of the CSU Student Health and Dental Plan, you may do so within the Opt-Out Period. For students beginning their first semester in the Fall, the Opt-Out Period is September 5th to October 4th, 2024. For students beginning their first semester in the Winter, the Opt-Out Period is from January 22nd to February 20th, 2025. All changes of coverage, including enrolments, must also be completed during this period.

Keep in mind that if you are covered by another extended health and/or dental plan (i.e., parent’s or spouse’s employee plan, not RAMQ), you can combine both plans to maximize your overall coverage and reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs.

If you are a new student, you must first retrieve your Studentcare ID number before you can access your Desjardins account. Your Studentcare ID is a personalized code that links you to your insurance coverage and will serve as your certificate number.

To obtain your Studentcare ID, you must go to this page and click the ‘Get your Studentcare ID’ button in the top left corner.

Benefits

Your Plan includes the following health, dental, vision, and travel benefits:

Up to 80% coverage for prescription drugs (including most oral contraceptives) for out-of-province students. Those who are covered by Quebec provincial health care or receive private insurance can have up to 100% of the remaining costs covered.
Up to 80% for vaccinations
Up to80% for psychologists, psychotherapists, registered Guidance Counsellors, and Social Workers with a maximum of $750 per policy year.
$20 per visit for physiotherapists, registered dietitians, chiropractors, osteopaths, and more, with a maximum of $400 per policy year
$75 for eyeglasses and contact lenses, $30 for eye exams, and $150 for laser eye surgery
Up to 70% for preventive dental services and up to 50% for basic dental services, with a maximum of $750 per policy year
$5,000,000 in travel health coverage for 120 days per trip, with the possibility of extension in the case of student exchanges
$7,500 for trip interruption and $3,000 for trip cancellation in the event of a medical emergency or an eligible trip advisory issued by the Government of Canada.
Up to 100% for ambulances, short-term hospitalizations, nursing care, dental accidents, medical equipment, and more (certain conditions apply).
Mental health and wellness support through Empower Me.

For more information on travel benefits, visit the CSU website and select the Travel page. For more information on Empower Me, visit the Empower Me page. For a general overview of your coverage plan with Studentcare, please consult the Understanding My Coverage page.

For complete details and to find the most up-to-date information about your plan, please visit www.Studentcare.ca.

FAQ

Who's covered?

Students who are members of the CSU, and who are taking more than three credits per term and paying tuition fees at either the federal or provincial rates, are automatically enrolled in the CSU extended Health and Dental Plan. If you are taking three or fewer credits, you are still eligible but must take the initiative to enroll in the plan during the Change of Coverage and Opt-Out period. For detailed information on self-enrolment, please visit www.Studentcare.ca.

To confirm that you are enrolled in the extended Health and Dental plan, contact Studentcare directly at 514-789-8790 and provide your student id number.

What's covered?

For a general overview of your coverage plan with Studentcare, please consult the following webpage. For complete details, please visit www.Studentcare.ca.

How much does it cost?

The total cost of the Plan is $225.00 for students starting in September ($105.00 for Health coverage and $120.00 for Dental coverage). The policy year is from September 1st, 2024 – August 31st, 2025. For students beginning their studies in January, the cost of the Plan is $150.00 ($70.00 for Health coverage and $80.00 for Dental coverage) for coverage from January 1st – August 31st, 2025. The cost of the plan is automatically included in your tuition and other fees.

How can I check if I have the CSU Health and Dental Plan?

Eligible students are automatically enrolled and covered until they choose to opt-out. To see if you have been charged for the CSU Student Health and Dental Plan, you can check for the charge “Health Plan” in your tuition breakdown via your Student Center by following this path:

StudentHub > My CU Account > Student Center > Finances > My Account > Account Inquiry > View Activity > Click by term

Another way to check if you have coverage is to contact Studentcare by phone at (514) 789-8790 to verify your enrollment status.

What is my insurance policy number?

For Health, Vision and Dental coverage, this is the information pertinent to accessing your coverage:
Group Name | CSU Health and Dental Plan
Group/Policy Number | Q1102
Certificate Number | Studentcare ID
Insured by| Desjardins Insurance

For Travel Claims, this is the information pertinent to accessing your coverage:
Group/Policy Number | 97180
Certificate Number | 8-digit student ID
Insured by | Securian Canada – Canadian Premier Lifer Insurance Company

For which periods of time am I covered?

The policy year runs from September 1st to August 31st.

You will be billed $75.00 in the Fall term, which covers the period of September 1st to December 31^st.

You will be billed $150.00 in the Winter term, which covers the period of January 1st to August 31st, extending into the summer months regardless of your registration to summer courses.

How do I submit a claim?

Claiming methods and procedures can be found online at this link.

By when must I submit my claim?

Desjardins Insurance must receive your claim within 12 months of the date the service was incurred.

E.g., If you visit a health practitioner on Sept. 30, 2023, you have until Sept. 30, 2024 to submit the claim for that visit.

How long does it take until I receive a reimbursement?

Claims submitted online (via the Secure Web Form or Desjardins web portal) or made through the mobile app (OMNI) with direct deposit set up take between 5 to 10 business days to process. Reimbursements are received within 3 days after the initial processing is complete.

Claims made through letter mail without direct deposit set up take up to 3 weeks to process. Reimbursements are received anywhere up to 4 to 6 weeks.

Where can I see the status of a submitted claim?

The status of a submitted claim may be accessed through the OMNI Desjardins mobile app. To access this information, login to your account on your mobile device and select the Reimbursement tab.

You may also wish to consult the Desjardins website for a more detailed account of your claim. Log in to your and select the Processed Claims tab, under the Claims History sub-header.

What happens if I need assistance submitting a claim?

Please remember, you are always welcome to drop by our office anytime during office hours and we will be more than happy to help you with any questions you may have regarding your Health and Dental Plan, or any other Union matters you may require assistance with. You can also email us at contactus@csu.qc.ca, or call us at 514-848-7474 during office hours.

I paid for my prescription drugs. How do I get my money back?

If you are a Quebec student covered by RAMQ, you will need to inform your pharmacist of your coverage so that they may reimburse you the portion covered by RAMQ. If you forgot to do so, you will need to return to your pharmacist with your receipt so that they may process your reimbursement. The CSU Health and Dental Plan may cover an additional portion of the cost of your prescription drugs; however, the insurer will reject your claim if you do not first put your RAMQ coverage to use.

If you are a Quebec student covered by private insurance, you will need to send your claim to your private insurer first so that they may process your reimbursement in accordance with their coverage policy. Following the process of your first claim, you may then submit an additional claim to the CSU Health and Dental Plan in order to receive coverage for the remaining amount (if applicable).

If you are an out-of-province student, you will need to use your Pay-Direct Card with your pharmacist once you receive your prescription order. If you forgot to do so, you will still receive coverage under the CSU Health and Dental Plan; however, you will need to send your receipt and claim form to Desjardins in order to receive reimbursement.

How can I save more?

You can also further enhance your benefits by visiting health professionals who are members of the Studentcare Dental, Vision, Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, and Psychology Networks. You are covered for the insured portion regardless of the health professional you choose.

By consulting a Network member, you will get additional coverage. For example, by visiting a Dental Network member, you will receive an additional 30% off on preventive services, enabling you to get up to 100% coverage.

Visit www.Studentcare.ca for complete details.

What is a Pay-Direct Card?

A Pay-Direct Card is a wallet-sized card that displays your Carrier and Group Number. All you need to do is add your 8-digit student identification number in the boxes provided on the front of the card and sign the back of it. This will allow your service provider to access your account.

How does my Pay Direct Card save me time and money?

Your pay direct card allows your service provider to electronically bill Desjardins Insurance on your behalf. By presenting the card, your pharmacist and dentist will be able to process the claim immediately, so you won’t have to pay the full amount up front and wait to be reimbursed. Please note that this service is not universally offered by all health care practitioners. It only applies to providers who are set up to offer a direct pay option to students.

Where can I get my Pay-Direct Card?

There are a few ways to access your Pay-Direct Card. It is available in your OMNI Desjardins mobile app, under the “Payment Card” tab. A printable version of your card can also be downloaded from the Studentcare website. Additionally, you can drop by our office during opening hours and pick up a physical card.

Do I have to pay my medical fees up front?

If your practitioner offers the Pay-Direct service, you won’t have to pay up front and wait for reimbursement. You will only have to pay the portion not covered by the insurance and/or Studentcare Network reduction.

For providers who do not offer the Pay-Direct service, you will be responsible for paying your fees upfront and submitting a claim for reimbursement to access your coverage.

Can I change my coverage?

You can opt out of the health portion, the dental portion, or the Plan in its entirety during the Change-of-Coverage Period from September 5th to October 4th 2024 for students starting in September, or from January 22nd to February 20th, 2025 for students starting in January. The fee will be reversed from your student account shortly after the end of the Change-of-Coverage Period. Please pay your tuition fees in full, to prevent any late penalty fees, reversed fees will automatically go towards future tuition and student fees.

Keep in mind that if you are covered by another extended health and/or dental plan (i.e. parent’s or spouses employee plan, not RAMQ), you can combine both plans to maximize your overall coverage and reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs.

If you are eligible, the Change-of-Coverage Period is also when you can enroll yourself, your spouse and/or dependent children in the Plan.

What happens if I drop courses before the DNE deadline?

If you drop all your courses, you are no longer eligible for student insurance coverage.

If you are still enrolled in 3 credits, you remain eligible but must self-enrol within the Change-of-Coverage period.

If you are still enrolled in more than 3 credits, there is no change to your enrolment status.

I tried to use my benefits, but it did not work. Why?

For new students within their first semester only, there is a Fall Blackout Period (approximately September 1st to October 31st), as student enrolment is being finalized. The Blackout Period reflects a period of time when the insurance company (in this case, Desjardins) is unable to confirm your coverage and process or reimburse claims. Rest assured, you will still be able to retroactively submit claims and get reimbursed for the ones that occurred during the Blackout Period. You will only have to wait until the Blackout Period is over before doing so.

This only applies to students in their first semester, who did not receive coverage the previous policy year. Any expenses incurred during this time can be claimed after the Blackout Period.

There is also a Blackout Period that affects new Winter Term students beginning their studies in January. The Winter Blackout Period begins on January 1 each year and lasts approximately until February 28.

How is the extended Health and Dental Plan different from RAMQ?

The Canadian model for health care is a mixed public/private system; approximately 30 to 40 per cent of normal annual health care expenses are covered through our public healthcare system. The balance is paid directly by individuals (out-of-pocket expenses) or through private health insurance plans, usually through an employer.

These costs can be extremely high and may pose a very real barrier to obtaining necessary Health and Dental care.

The CSU extended Health and Dental Plan does not replace the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) or an equivalent plan (such as other provincial health care plans or a private basic plan). It offers you extra coverage in addition to basic medical services covered by RAMQ. You must have basic medical coverage in order to be eligible to use the extended coverage provided through the CSU Plan.

The CSU Plan covers many other services that basic RAMQ does not, including dental benefits, private tutorial benefits, travel health coverage, and more.

For more information on the Québec health insurance plan, you can visit the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec website.

I would like to add dependents (i.e. spouse, common law partner, children) to my Plan. How do I do that?

Dependents are not automatically enrolled in CSU Plan coverage and must be manually added to your file during the Change-of-Coverage & Opt-Out Period by filling out the Enroll Your Family Now form at the bottom of this page.

If you have missed the Change-of-Coverage & Opt-Out Period, you may still be able to add dependents to your CSU Health and Dental Plan. The Exception Request system allows students to request family enrolments after the Change-of-Coverage & Opt-Out Period has ended. You will need to provide basic information, as well as an explanation as to why you should exceptionally be allowed to enroll in the Plan after the deadline.

You will only have one opportunity to submit an Exception Request, so please make sure to describe your situation clearly and upload all documents supporting your request.

For more information, visit www.Studentcare.ca.

I am a co-op student on work term. Am I covered?

As a co-op student on work term, you are not automatically enrolled in the Health and Dental Plan. If you wish to be covered by the CSU Student Health and Dental Plan for the duration of your co-op work term, you have the option to self-enroll during the Change-of-Coverage & Opt-Out Period. For more information on the cost of coverage, please visit www.Studentcare.ca.

Co-op students who received Health and Dental Plan coverage during their first work term will not automatically be covered for their second work term. They will, however, have the option once again to self-enroll following the Change-of-Coverage & Opt-Out Period. Please note that this must be done promptly once the Change-of-Coverage & Opt-Out Period has ended. Contact Studentcare for more information.

What constitutes as proof of registration?

To prove that you are registered in the CSU Student Health and Dental Plan, you will need to provide two things to prove that you are paying the Plan’s associated fees:

A screenshot of your name and student ID, found on the top-left corner of your Student Center homepage
A screenshot of your tuition breakdown, which you can access via your Student Hub using the following steps: StudentHub > My CU Account > Student Center > Finances > My Account > Account Inquiry > View Activity > Click by term. From there, you will be able to review your breakdown of student fees in accordance with the semesters of your studies at Concordia, both past and present. The charges that are associated with the CSU Health and Dental Plan coverage are listed as “Health Plan”.

Please note that for your proof of registration to be valid, you need to include both screenshots, making sure your name, student ID, and the CSU fees are clearly visible.

I do not need the CSU Extended Health and Dental plan as I already have coverage outside of this plan. How do I opt out?

To opt out of the CSU Student Health and Dental Plan, visit the Opt Outs page on the Studentcare website. There will be an option to opt yourself out of coverage at the bottom left of the webpage, under “Opt Out Now”. After selecting it, you will be prompted to sign in to your account, and from there begin the process of opting out.

When is the Change of Coverage & Opt-Out period?

For students beginning their first semester in Fall, the Opt-Out period is September 5th to October 4th 2024.

For students beginning their first semester in Winter, the Opt-Out period is January 22nd to February 20th, 2025.

Please note that all returning students will be able to change their coverage in accordance with the Opt-Out period in the Fall only.

I opted out. What happens now?

If you have opted out within the Change of Coverage & Opt-Out Period, the Health and Dental Plan fees you have paid will be credited to your student account shortly after the period ends.

You may choose to leave the credit on your student account, and it will automatically be applied to fees owed in the next semester. You can also request to get it refunded by the Student Accounts Office. For more information on refunds, visit the online page on Refund of fees.

My residency status has changed. How do I opt-out of the Health & Dental Plan?

If you are opting out within the Change-of-Coverage Period, please visit Studentcare’s ‘My Coverage Manager ‘ page to complete the process. If you need to opt out after the Change-of-Coverage Period, please contact Studentcare at 514-789-8790 or through their Support Form and explain your residence status change.

How can I submit a claim within the claims deadline if I no longer have access to my Desjardins portal?

If you no longer have access to the Desjardins portal, you can still submit claims through the Desjardins secure submission form within the claims deadline. If you encounter any issues with this process or do not receive a response, please contact Desjardins Group Insurance at 1-866-938-8943 for assistance. Please note that your Group Insurance Number is Q1102 and your Certificate Number is your Studentcare ID.