Health insurance for Non-Status First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students

AMS/GSS Health and Dental Coverage at UBC

Opting out of the fee

Some students have extended health coverage through other plans, and therefore choose to opt out of the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan. If you choose to do so, make sure to opt out of the plan during the change-of-coverage period. You are required to do this every year at the start of term.

If you are a sponsored student covered by your band for tuition and living expenses, it’s likely that they won’t cover this additional health coverage fee for you. Please connect with your Education Coordinator through your band regarding potential coverage for this fee. If they don’t cover it, please opt out or be prepared to cover this fee yourself.

If you’ve missed the deadline to opt out, please contact the Indigenous Student Support team at es.indigenous@ubc.ca.

Staying enrolled on the plan

Depending on your health and dental needs and costs, you may decide that it could be worthwhile to have coverage through both your Indigenous Health Authority and the AMS/GSS Health and Dental plan. In this case, you can have reimbursements of health costs from both insurance providers.

Example situations where you may want to be covered for both plans:

  • You need prescription glasses or contacts.
  • You often get medical prescriptions.
  • You have ongoing health concerns.
  • You want to maximize chiropractor, physiotherapist, or massage therapy benefits.
  • You have dental concerns.
  • You are planning to travel or go on exchange.

Maximizing your coverage

To make sure you’re getting the most out of your extended health care coverage, consider asking your doctor, dentist, optometrist, or medical provider the following questions:

  • Are you registered with Pacific Blue Cross or PharmaCare?
  • Do you require payment upfront for services?

If you have more than one health insurance plan

When students have access to another third-party health insurance, such as AMS/GSS Health and Dental coverage, they should submit claims to that plan first. One exception is the pharmacy benefit, where clients should submit claims to PharmaCare first.

If you have questions