Douglas Students' Union members enrolled in our health and dental plan now register on-line at www.greenshield.ca/studentcentre using their Green Shield Subscriber ID (see "Green Shield Health Card" below) and receive the following services: 

• personalized and detailed benefit information (for summary see "Outline of Benefits" below)
• on-line claims adjudication
• status of current and outstanding claims
• essential downloads, including your Green Shield Health Card, Travel Insurance Card, and all claim forms
• access to our new direct deposit option for reimbursement of claims
• other important products like travel top-up insurance

On March 24 - 28, 2003 students voted to increase the Douglas Students' Union's (DSU) membership dues for full-time students by $260 per year in order to provide full-time students with an extended health and dental plan. The plan is mandatory unless students have extended health and dental insurance from another source (i.e. through their parents', work, or spouse's insurance), in which case they may choose to withdraw from the Students' Union plan, or remain enrolled in both their previous plan and the Students' Union plan (see "General Information - Coordination Of Benefits").

SOME THINGS TO BE AWARE OF:

1. Only DSU dues paying students and therefore DSU members are entitled to participate in the plan. It is not possible to opt in to membership in the DSU.

2. In September all full-time DSU dues paying students with more than 9 credits are automatically registered in the health and dental plan.

3. Students with alternate insurance, e.g. through parents, spouse, or employer, can opt out of the plan online through your Douglas Account: >Sign in >Registration >Medical/Dental Opt Out.

4. Dependants of members in the plan can be opted in by visiting the DSU office.

5. Part-time Students can opt into the plan by visiting the DSU office.

6. New students in the Winter Semester are not automatically enrolled in the plan. They must opt in to receive coverage for the remainder of the school year by visiting the DSU office.

7. New students in the Summer Semester are not automatically enrolled in the plan. They must opt in to receive coverage for the remainder of the school year by visiting the DSU office.

* If you are unsure about your coverage please visit the DSU office before you seek medical services to ensure that you are covered. 

Who is Covered?

Nine Credits or More (Mandatory)

All Fall 2009 students enrolled in nine credits or more are automatically enrolled in the plan. Plan enrolment is mandatory; however, members may opt-out with proof of alternate extended health and/or dental coverage (see "Opting Out"). The benefit period begins September 1, 2009 and ends August 30, 2010.

Fewer than Nine Credits (Optional)

Part-time students enrolled in fewer than nine credits in the Fall 2009 semester may enroll in the plan, provided they apply in person at the Students' Union using the "Part-time Student Application" form, and pay the required $260 premium directly to the Students' Union.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The deadline for part-time student enrolment in the plan is September 29, 2009 at 4:00 pm.

New Winter 2010 Students (Optional)

All students attending the College for the first time in the Winter 2010 semester may elect to enroll in the plan, regardless of number of credits, provided they apply in person at the Students' Union using the "Winter 2010 Application" form, and pay the required $175 premium directly to the Students' Union. For these members, the benefit period begins January 1, 2010 and ends August 30, 2010.

All Winter 2010 students enrolled in the plan are entitled to full use of its benefits and all maxima as outlined (see "Outline of Benefits").

IMPORTANT NOTE: The deadline for new Winter 2010 student enrolment in the plan is January 29, 2010 at 4:00 pm.

Spouses and/or Children (Optional)

Students with dependents (i.e. spouses or children) may upgrade to family coverage by paying an additional $260 ($175 in the case of new Winter 2010 students) directly to the Students' Union. The definition of spouse includes common-law and/or same sex spouses with whom the student has been living in a conjugal relationship for a period of twelve months. A completed "Family Application Form" must accompany the payment.

Dependent children are eligible for coverage up to the end of the benefit year in which they turn age 21, or age 25 if enrolled and in full-time attendance at an accredited college, university or educational institute.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The deadline for adding dependants to the plan is September 29, 2009 at 4:00 pm (January 29, 2010 at 4:00 pm in the case of new Winter 2010 students).

Opted Out Students Losing their Alternate Coverage (Optional)

Students who have opted out of the plan in the Fall 2009 semester may apply for reinstatement during the benefit year if they apply within 30 days of losing, or becoming aware that they have lost, their alternate extended health or dental insurance. Proof of the loss must be submitted directly to the Students' Union office with a completed "Reinstatement of Coverage" form and accompanied by the $260 premium.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The deadline for applying for reinstatement in the plan having previously "opted out" is 30 days past the date of the loss of alternate coverage.

For claims processing, students enrolling in the plan for the first time will experience a 'hold' period throughout September and October 2009 (January and February for Winter 2010 students) while enrolment data is in transfer from the college to the Students' Union, and then prepared and verified for final transfer to the insurer, Green Shield Canada. Dentists, pharmacists and other health service providers should not attempt electronic claims for first time enrollees until after the 'hold' period (see "Claims and Reimbursements" and "Claims Troubleshooting").

In the case of the new on-line student centre at www.greenshield.ca/studentcentre, students in their 'hold' period will be unable to register an on-line account.  They may; however, access other information such as the detailed Outline of Benefits, Green Shield Health Card, and claim forms.

During this two-month 'hold' period, Green Shield will hold mail-initiated claims until they have received the verified data from the Students' Union. Valid claims will then be processed as normal.

Additionally, first-time students should refrain from contacting Green Shield directly at 1.888.711.1119 until after the 'hold' period has expired, as Green Shield's customer service staff will have no data with which to confirm your plan enrolment, nor identify your plan details.

RETURNING STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE:

Those who have opted out of the DSU plan in a previous year MUST RENEW their 'opt-out' every fall semester in which they have alternate extended coverage if they wish to be exempted from the DSU plan. Automatic opt-outs are no longer carried forward into subsequent years.

Students who have coverage from another source and who wish to 'opt out' of the plan may do so during the Fall 2009 course registration using the College's on-line system. Proof of alternate coverage will be required and consists of your insurance company's name (e.g. Blue Cross, Manulife and Sunlife) and your plan number, sometimes known as a 'group' or 'policy' number. Your 'Certificate ID', 'Social Insurance Number' (SIN), or any other individual-identifying number should NOT be given out! Be sure to use the name of the insurance 'provider' and NOT your insurance 'broker' (e.g. Desjardins Financial Security and D.A. Townley & Associates are 'brokers').

First Nations students whose equivalent medical costs are covered by their Band, and who wish to opt out of the DSU plan must provide the name of their Band and a contact number for confirmation.

NOTE:
Enrolment in the BC Medical Services Plan (BC CareCard) or any other provincial or territorial Medicare plan does NOT constitute equivalent coverage for the purpose of opting out.

After opting out using the on-line system, the $260 premium will be credited overnight to your on-line account in your financial record with the College (www.douglas.bc.ca, "Student Records – Account Summary by Term"). Your 'opt out' information is then transferred to the DSU for verification and approval.

If you are ineligible to withdraw from the DSU plan, the 'opt out' will be reversed and you will be charged the $260 premium and enrolled in the plan.

If the information you have provided is insufficient or inaccurate, you will be contacted by a DSU health plan staff person, and may be required to produce proof of your coverage by a designated deadline. Additionally, the DSU reserves the right to require any other student so opting out to produce proof of their coverage. The DSU may reinstate the premium if no such proof is forthcoming.

The deadline for opting out of the DSU plan is September 29, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. Opting out may only be done using the college's on-line system: Douglas Students' Union has discontinued the use of "Waiver Forms" for the purpose of opting out.

NOTE:
OPTING OUT OF THE PLAN WILL NOT BE ALLOWED AFTER 4:00 P.M. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009.

The benefit period runs on a twelve-month cycle beginning September 1, 2009 and ending August 30, 2010. Once the September 30 deadline for additions and deletions to the plan has passed, enrolment is fixed for the remaining eleven months (with the exception of eligible Winter 2010 students; see "Winter 2010 First-Time Students" above).

Subsequent changes to an individual's student status will not affect that individual's status in their Students' Union health and dental plan.

Even when the pharmacist, dentist or other health service provider does offer a direct-billing service, students may encounter occasions when they are told their claim has been rejected. 

There are four main reasons this may occur:

1. Though the student may be a member of the Douglas Students' Union, for any one of a number of reasons, they may not have paid the premium that entitles them to these benefits. In this case, the student should double-check their registration and financial record available through the college's on-line system, and then call or visit the Students' Union's office for follow-up should that be required.

2. The student began their studies with the college in the Winter 2010 or Summer 2010 semester, and either was not enrolled in the Fall 2009 semester, or was enrolled but under nine credits (see "Who is Eligible?" below).

3. This is the student's first year in the plan and the billing attempt is being made during their 'hold' period (see "Claims 'Hold' Period" above). During this time, new students will need to pay the full amount of the service or item out-of-pocket, and make a claim for reimbursement by mail.

4. The health service provider while attempting the claim electronically is not entering the required fields correctly. Green Shield's electronic claims system is designed to automatically reject claims where the service provider has entered one or more fields incorrectly. In these cases, the provider will get the assistance they need to correct the problem by contacting Green Shield directly at 1-888-711-1119.

If a student is certain that the first three reasons above do not apply, then there is no reason for the provider not to correct the problem by contacting the insurance company.

Though students should be persistent with their health service provider, it is still at the pharmacist's or dentist's discretion whether or not to demand full payment for services and items provided.

REMEMBER:

The deadline for making a claim is one year from the date of item purchase or service provision, provided the expense occurred while the student was insured.

Detailed information fully outlining your extended health and dental benefits package can be found at www.greenshield.ca/studentcentre or through the document download link below.

Prescription Drugs (80%, no deductible)

Health Services (100%, no deductible)  

• Emergency Transportation
• Accidental Dental Benefits
• Prosthetics & Other Medical Items
• Licensed Paramedical Services ($300 per discipline per year)
• Private Duty Nursing Benefit
• Eye Examinations ($25 per 24 month period)
• Access to to Discount Eyewear through the Preferred Provider Vision Network

All students enrolled in the plan may pick up their Green Shield Health Card either from one of the Students' Union offices, or by downloading it from one of the two links below.

Space is provided on the card to write your name (as it is registered with the College) and your nine-digit student number. The letters "DSU" followed by the student number constitute your Subscriber ID with Green Shield.

As the primary insured person, all students enrolled are assigned the code "00" just following the student number. If a spouse or partner, and/or other dependants have been added to the plan, each dependant, in descending order of age, is assigned a dependant code starting with "01" for the spouse/partner, then "02" and so on for each dependant. This is important to delineate when claims for various dependants are made.

Please remember to carry your Green Shield Health Card at all times, as the card also includes Green Shield's customer service number: 1-888-711-1119. When you indicate you have extended medical insurance to your pharmacist or dentist, they will ask you to produce your card in order to assist with your health and dental insurance claims. Also, when attending your dentist's office, take your Students' Union Handbook/Day Planner or your downloaded "Outline of Benefits" (see above) with you, as most dentists prefer to review the extent of a patient's insurance before planning treatment.