By Nadine Moedt (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: September 12, 2012
The SUS health and dental plan is one of the fees that appears on a full-time student’s invoice every year. It’s easy to sigh at another number adding itself to your tuition fees, but the health and dental plan might be doing more for you than you think.
First of all, the health and dental plan at UFV provides students with coverage from the first day of September until the end of August the following year. Aside from your basic visits to the doctor, the plan covers visits to other health practitioners, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths, dieticians – the list goes on.
It doesn’t stop at visits to professionals. Up to 70 per cent of prescription drugs and vaccinations are covered. Diagnostic services, ambulance services, home care and medical equipment are all taken care of. Psychological health is also considered in the way the plan covers visits to a registered psychologist of your choice.
If you wear glasses, your plan will cover your prescription glasses, contact lenses, eye exams, and even laser eye surgery.
Another great benefit of the plan is the travel coverage; you can use your benefits anywhere on the globe.
In short, full-time students pay $159.92 a year for a $900 plan.
The SUS plan easily covers more than what is provided to students with provincial coverage. The provincial plan only covers the basics, like visits to the hospital or the doctor, and not additional services such as prescription drugs or other types of health practitioners.
Most full-time students are automatically enrolled in the SUS health and dental plan. You can even extend your coverage to a spouse, common-law partner, and/or dependent by paying an additional fee.
Students who are not automatically included in the plan and wish to have the coverage are able to enroll online for an additional fee. Students starting in January may enroll at a pro-rated rate for eight months of coverage rather than 12.
If you are already covered by another health and dental plan, you can opt out of the plan online. You will need your student ID number, your date of birth and proof that you are covered by another plan. Proof of coverage must consist of a copy of a certificate or card indicating your coverage, an image of a summary of benefits detailing your coverage, or a letter from the plan sponsor/ insurance company. Aboriginal students may use an image of their status card as proof of coverage.
But an option to consider if you are already covered by a different plan is to combine it with the SUS health and dental plan for increased coverage. This choice could give you up to 100 per cent coverage.
Any opting in, opting out, adding family members, or change of status has to be done within a designated “change of coverage period.” The change of coverage period for this semester started August 27 and ends September 18. Another change of coverage period will run January 3 to 24.
This health and dental plan is one specifically designed with students in mind. Your suggestions and feedback regarding improvements or additions to the plan are taken into consideration so that it fits your specific requirements.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can look online or pop into the SUS offices in C building in Abbotsford, or in the basement at CEP.
