Health & Dental Plan
The UTSU administers a Health & Dental Plan for all full-time undergraduate students at the St. George campus and eligible students at the Toronto School of Theology, providing some of the best mental health and dental coverage in Canada when compared to other student association plans. The plan provides full or partial coverage for many services not covered by provincial health care. International Students are covered by the UTSU Health Plan and the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP).
The Health & Dental Plan fees are charged on a compulsory basis as part of your tuition, although students may opt-out if they are able to provide proof of other extended health insurance coverage. This means that if you’re already covered by an equivalent health and dental plan, such as a parent’s or spouse’s employee benefit plan or a plan provided by your band council or through Health Canada, you can opt-out of this plan.
Note for first year students: There is a blackout period for newly insured students until October 31st while the university and insurance provider confirm your enrollment and onboard you to the policy. During this time, you will not be able to register your Greenshield account. However, after the blackout period expires, you will be able to register and make claims for September and October.
To learn more about your coverage, how to make a claim, and other details about your plan, please see below, or visit the UTSU page at studentcare.ca.
Health Coverage
See below for a breakdown of some of the services offered by your UTSU plan, and click the button for more information.
- Prescription Drugs & Vaccinations
- Up to 80% coverage, $5,000/policy year
- Vaccinations are 100% covered, up to $200/policy year
- Oral contraceptives and contraceptive devices, up to $250/policy year
- Also covers non-prescription drugs like insulin, as well as diabetic syringes, testing agents (up to $1,000/benefit year) and needles
- Health Practitioners
- Mental health practitioners – up to $100/visit and 15 visits/policy year
- Registered Massage Therapists & Acupuncturists – up to $30/visit and 20 combined visits/policy year
- Chiropractors – up to $30/visit and 20 visits/policy year
- Physiotherapists – up to $30/visit and 20 visits/policy year
- Hospitalization & Home Care
- Upgrade to a semi-private hospital room
- Up to $25/hour for tutorial services from a qualified teacher, if an accident causes disability and confinement for more than 15 consecutive days
- Accidents & Emergencies
- Covers air or land ambulance transport to nearest hospital in an emergency
- Covers air or land ambulance transport to nearest hospital in an emergency
- Medical Equipment
- Orthopaedic shoes or arch supports covered up to $350/policy year
- Hearing aids, repairs or replacement parts covered up to $500/five years
- Diagnostic Services
- Diagnostic tests, x-rays, and lab tests covered when prescribed by a medical practitioner
Dental Coverage
See below for a breakdown of some of the services offered by your UTSU plan, and click the button for more information.
- Preventative Care
- $800 in dental visits/policy year
- Exams and X-Rays covered up to 70 per cent/policy year
- Lab test and extractions covered up to 80 per cent/policy year
- Scaling and polishing covered up to 70 per cent/policy year
- Fillings, root canals, surgery & anaesthesia covered up to 60 per cent/policy year
- Oral examinations, polishing, and fluoride treatment are covered once per 12 months
- Bitewing x-rays are covered once every 9 months
- Oral hygiene instruction is covered once every 12 months
- Â A complete exam (sometimes called a new patient exam) is only covered once every 5 years
- Dental Accident
- Repair/replace damage to healthy teeth caused by an external blow/accident
- Treatment must be covered within 12 months of the accident
Vision Coverage
See below for a breakdown of some of the services offered by your UTSU plan, and click the button for more information.
- Eye Exam, Eyeglasses & Contact Lenses
- New or replacement eyeglasses or contact lenses and eye exam are covered up to a combined $150/two years
- Vision Benefits
- Up to 30% or $75 off prescription glasses when visiting an independent specialist who is a member of the Studentcare Vision Network
- Up to $200 off the cost of a laser vision correction procedure from LASIKMD
Travel Coverage
See below for a breakdown of some of the services offered by your UTSU plan, and click the button for more information.
- Vacations
- Coverage for up to 120 days/trip, for an unlimited number of trips taken during the time you’re covered
- Maximum coverage of $5,000,000/lifetime during time you’re covered
- Includes hospital, physician, and other services for emergency treatment of injury or illness while travelling, including internationally
- As of Sept. 1, 2020, travel coverage also applies to COVID-19-related emergency medical expenses, including those under 50 and those travelling during a Level-Three Advisory (avoid non-essential travel) issued by the federal government
- Trip Interruption
- Coverage for if your trip is interrupted due to a medical emergency
- Coverage for up to $7,500 for each trip taken in the policy year
- Includes quarantine after a positive COVID-19 test result, denied entry, or contact tracing while at the destination: meals and accommodation are covered up to $200/day, to a maximum of $5,000/trip
- Trip Cancellation
- Coverage if your trip is cancelled due to a medical emergency
- Coverage up to $3,000/trip for pre-paid, non-refundable trip expenses
Empower Me
Empower Me is a confidential support service available 24/7, 365 days a year. Empower Me gives you space to talk to someone about issues like:
- stress or anxiety
- depression
- relationship or family conflicts
- substance use
- disordered eating
- career counselling
- and much more
Dialogue - Virtual Healthcare
Dialogue is an online platform that lets you connect with Canadian healthcare professionals via a mobile or web app. Ninety per cent of requests receive a response within 2 hours.
Through Dialogue, you can:
- Consult with a nurse via chat, video or phone
- See a doctor for a diagnosis or prescription
- Get specialist referrals or lab requests
- Get help for certain issues like
- Cold and flu symptoms
- Allergies
- Headaches or migraines
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Fever
- Minor aches and pains, cuts and bites
- STI information and screening
- Rashes and hives
- UTIs
Submitting a Claim
Recently, the UTSU changed our insurance provider for the Health & Dental plan. Depending on when you received your service, you may have to submit to a different insurer.
For more information on claims, please visit the Studentcare website.
For services incurred on or after Sept. 1, 2021
All health and dental claims must be received by Green Shield Canada no later than 12 months after the date the eligible benefit was incurred.
You can submit a claim via mail to the address on the form or online through their website. To submit online, you’ll need to register with your Member ID, which is UTS + your student ID number (e.g. UTS11122233).
For services incurred before Sept. 1, 2021
All health claims must be received by Desjardins Insurance no later than 90 days after the end of the policy year in which the claims were incurred or 90 days after the end of your coverage, whichever is sooner. Coverage from Desjardins ended on Aug. 31, 2021.
If you’re submitting claims for services incurred before Sept. 1, 2021, your claims must be received by Nov. 29, 2021. You can file claims to Desjardins by mailing in claim forms or online through the Studentcare mobile app until Nov. 29, 2021. For more information, and to download the app, click here.
Change of Coverage & Opting Out
The Change of Coverage & Opt-Out period is at the beginning of every school year, or the beginning of the Winter semester (for those students who began their school year in the Winter term) During these periods, you can opt out, or enrol your spouse and/or dependent children in the Health & Dental Plan.
You must show proof of coverage from another plan to opt-out of the health portion of the plan. Provincial coverage is not sufficient as another plan. You may opt-out of the dental portion of the plan without providing proof of other coverage.
For students beginning in the Winter term, the Change of Coverage & Opt-Out period is Jan. 2-31. Please note that for those beginning in the Winter semester, coverage under the plan is from Jan. 1 to August 31.
Blackout Period
Although your coverage begins on September 1, there is a Fall Blackout Period for about two months at the beginning of the policy year (approximately Sept. 1 to Oct. 31). During this time, the insurance company cannot confirm your enrollment and will not process or reimburse claims for newly registered students. This includes:
- First-year students
- Students returning from a leave
- Students who opted out of the plan the previous year
- Students who were members of a different student union in the previous year, who are now UTSU members
Returning students – students who were covered by the Plan up to the end of the previous policy year – are not affected by the Fall Blackout Period, while most students who were registered for classes by early August will experience a shorter Blackout Period.
The Winter Blackout Period, which affects new students who begin their studies in the Winter, begins on January 1 each year and lasts approximately until February 28.
During the Blackout Period:
- You will be unable to direct-bill the insurance provider (at pharmacies, dental clinics, etc.)
- Claims may be denied
- You cannot register your account on the insurer’s website to submit claims
Any expenses incurred during this time can be claimed for after the Blackout Period has ended, so long as you are eligible for coverage.
We are here to help
If you have any questions or concerns related to your health and dental plan, you can reach out to our team at hello@utsu.ca, by live chat on our website, or at 416-978-4911.