Coverage Basics 2024/2025

You can check your coverage at anytime on your Greenshield account online and on the GSC+ app.

Click here if you need help finding your coverage information.

Students from Kings/Dalhousie can book health appointments here. The Health and Wellness Centre is located on the 2nd floor at 1246 LeMarchant Street.

• Access to Health care providers at the Dalhousie Health and Wellness centre come at no cost to domestic Kings and Dalhousie students with MSI coverage.
• International students enrolled in the DSU's International Health plan are also able to access these services at no cost.
• Students that are not covered by MSI or an International Health plan will be charged a fee of 40$ per visit.

Please be aware when booking an appointment, that you may be charged a 40$ fee for a no show or a last minute cancellation. 

Direct Billing and Submitting Claims

The Greenshield Health/Dental plan offers direct billing for most services  including most pharmacies, hospitals, dental offices, and larger paramedical clinics. Some smaller providers may not offer direct billing.**You must have your health card plan on hand (or know your plan number) so that your health provider can directly bill Greenshield**

• Direct billing means that the insurance company is billed directly and you do not have to pay the full amount out of pocket for the health service. However, you are still responsible for paying  any co-pay or deductible amount.
• If the health provider does not offer direct billing, you will have to pay the full cost for the health service out of pocket, submit a claim online and wait for reimbursement (usually between 1-2 business weeks).
• You can submit a claim  on their online website or on the GSC+ app (available on Android and IOS).
• To submit a claim online, you must have a online account with Greenshield. If you don’t have an account already, please scroll down down a bit further to see how to Register online with Greenshield.

Master of Fine Arts Students

Master of Fine Arts Students can access the 2024 MFA Health Plan Primer here. All questions can be directed to the KSU’s Services and Campaigns Coordinator at coordinator@ksu.ca.  **Please note that students beginning the MFA program in Spring/Summer will not be covered by the Health & Dental plan until September 1st, when all full-time students are automatically enrolled**.

International Students

International students are automatically enrolled in both Greenshield and the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) International Health Plan, which provides coverage similar to MSI. MSI is Nova Scotia’s provincial health insurance for residents, covering things like doctor’s visits and emergency care. For any questions relating to the DSU International Health plan, please contact dsuhlth@dal.ca

Students with a valid study permit, along with their spouses and dependents, become eligible for MSI on the first day of their 13th month of full-time residence.

To learn more about  MSI, please check out the following resources:

1. Nova Scotia MSI Brochure
2. What’s Covered with MSI
3. Eligibility for MSI
4.  Applying for MSI

Dual - Citizen Students

Part-Time Students

Part-time students (less than nine credit hours per semester) and students beginning their studies in the winter are not automatically enrolled in the health and dental plan. If you wish to enroll in the plan, fill out this form and return it and return it with your payment to the KSU office.

 Students with Families

You may opt-in your spouses and dependents for an additional fee. Click here for the form to opt-in your spouse and here for the form to opt-in your dependents. PLEASE NOTE, STUDENTS MUST RE-ENROL THEIR DEPENDENTS EACH PLAN YEAR. DEPENDENTS ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY CARRIED OVER.  When completed, please submit the forms and payment to the KSU office.

When you’re covered by two health insurance plans, coordination of benefits ensures that the total amount paid by both insurers doesn’t exceed the cost of your medical services. The primary insurance covers first, while the secondary insurance steps in to cover any remaining balance.

How It Works:

• Your primary insurance pays first for covered medical services.
• Your secondary insurance picks up the remaining cost (up to the limit set by the policy) to help you cover additional expenses like co-pays or uncovered services.
• If your primary insurer covers 80% of a medical service, your secondary insurer may cover the remaining 20%, effectively reducing your out-of-pocket costs.

Important Reminder: Check with both insurance providers about their C.O.B policies  because each provider has different rules, restrictions, and limitations about how they process claims or what they cover.

How to File Claims with Coordination of Benefits

Step 1: Submit to Primary Insurance provider

• First, submit your medical claim to your primary insurance provider. Make sure you’ve included all necessary documentation (e.g., invoices, receipts for the medical services).
• Your primary insurance will process the claim and send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) (or a Claim Summary, in some cases) outlining how much was paid and what you owe
• This document will show the amount your primary insurer covered and the remaining amount you owe (such as co-pays or deductibles).

Step 2: Submit to Secondary Insurance provider

• Submit your claim (just like you did with the primary insurer) to your secondary insurance provider.
• Include the EOB from the primary insurance, along with your invoice and/or receipt if it’s required by your secondary insurer
• The secondary insurer will process the claim based on what the primary insurer has already paid, and they may cover the remaining balance based on their policy

If everything is processed correctly, your secondary insurance will cover the remaining amount (up to their coverage limits), and you could end up having your medical expenses covered 100%

Summary

• Primary Insurance: Pays first.
• Secondary Insurance: Pays second, covering the remaining balance (up to their limits).
• Explanation of Benefits: The key document you need to submit to your secondary insurer.
• Coordination of Benefits: Maximizes your coverage by combining both insurers’ payments, potentially covering your medical expenses in full.

How to Opt Out: A Step by Step Guide

IMPORTANT NOTICE  –  The Black-Out Period & Opt-Out Period: All full-time students are automatically enrolled in the plan but can opt out online between September 1, 2024 to September 17th, 2024. Since we cannot finalize the enrolment lists until after the opt-out period closes, Green Shield cannot process our claims (either direct billing or uploaded receipts) until around the first week of October 2024. Additionally, students will be unable to access their Greenshield account  (it will come up as deactivated and/or you will be unable to register). As a result, please keep all receipts in September for claims you intend to submit until after the Black – Out period has ended.

1. Log into your DalOnline account at www.dalonline.dal.ca.
2.  Select “Web for Students”.
3. Select “Additional Fee/Waiver Application” from the list of options. It should be near the bottom of the page.
4. Select “Fall Term.”
5. Enter the required information. In order to opt out you must show that you have existing comparable supplementary health coverage.
6. Once you submit your information your opt-out is sent to the administrator for review. This review process can take 48-72 hours.
7. You will receive one of three status updates:
   1. Accepted. You have successfully been opted out.
   2. Declined. Your opt-out has been declined. This usually means you did not show evidence of existing comparable coverage.
   3. Pending. You will be asked to provide additional information, usually this is just seeking clarification regarding your comparable coverage.

Once your opt-out has been approved you will receive a credit for the amount reimbursed. It will be placed on your account with the King’s Bursar’s office and will count against future charges (i.e. tuition fees).

REMINDER: Please make sure to provide details of your alternative health coverage plan that you will be using for the full academic year. All full- time Canadian students are legally required to be covered by a health insurance plan.