Travel – Information for the Extended Health and Dental Insurance Plan
All graduate students that plan on traveling out of province or out of country will have emergency medical coverage under the GSS Extended Health Plan. Be advised that there are limits to the amount of days you are covered out-of-country.
If you plan on departing Canada for your travel, please review and regularly monitor information on all travel advisories issued by the Government of Canada prior to departure for your destination. If you are a Canadian citizen and are planning on traveling outside of Canada, then register as a Canadian Abroad in case of emergency and response. This can help connect you to Canadian embassies and consulates.
All students are advised to request a copy of your BC MSP Account Confirmation prior to departure. Please obtain a copy of your BC MSP Account confirmation prior to your departure to border exit, entry, and visa purposes when traveling abroad.
The GSS Extended Health Plan includes up to 60 days of out of country emergency medical coverage.
You need to maintain your basic medical coverage, BC MSP or equivalent, for the duration of your trip. Please obtain a copy of your BC MSP Account confirmation prior to your departure to border exit, entry, and visa purposes.
For more information about individual Plans for travel for leisure, call (604-419-2000, press 1) or email inhealth@pcc.bluecross.ca and let them know that you are a member of the Graduate Students’ Society at the University Of Victoria (policy: 43222). Plan member’s will receive 10% off individual travel plans.
If you will be travelling for more than 60 days and your reason for travel is for academic purposes, you must contact the Health and Dental Plan Coordinator at gsoc@uvic.ca at least two (2) weeks before leaving to arrange to extend the limit of the out of country emergency medical coverage and to obtain your travel insurance coverage letter.
If you require a coverage letter for a travel visa, you must contact the Health and Dental Coordinator with at least two (2) weeks’ notice before your visa appointment for processing. Ensure you have enough time prior to visa submission deadlines to allow the GSS to process your request.
Follow the steps according to the University Of Victoria: https://www.uvic.ca/international/travel-safety/students/index.php.
All graduate students must maintain their BC MSP or equivalence for the duration of their trip. If their trip exceeds six (6) months, please contact BC MSP for more information regarding maintaining your coverage.
IMPORTANT! Students travelling for more than 6 months must provide proof that they will be maintaining BC MSP for the duration of their travels. This information must be a document directly from BC MSP. Without this proof, Pacific Blue Cross may not extend extend your coverage to the duration of your travels.
In your email you must include the following:
- Legal first name
- Legal last name
- UVic Student Number
- Date of Departure from Canada
- Location(s):
- Estimated date of Return to Canada
- Confirmation that you will maintain BC MSP or other Canadian government basic medical services plan coverage.
All students covered under the GSS Health plan will have access to Medi-Assist services. Medi-assist provides 24/7 assistance to members and dependants in emergency situations when travelling out-of-country. Medi-assist can provide the following assistance.
- Puts you in touch with qualified licensed physicians and medical services
- Connects you with qualified legal services
- Assists with lost baggage or stolen documents/money
- Arranges consular assistance and travel advice
- Assists with arrangement of repatriation of remains in the event of a death
- Notifies your insurer (Pacific Blue Cross) to facilitate claims payment
- Helps to contact your family or business partners
- Assist with transfer of patient from one facility to another, or to return patient to province of residence
While travelling make sure to carry with you your insurance card and a Medi-Assist brochure with the phone number(s) to call in case of an illness or emergency.