So you know that sore throat I mention in my last entry? It was the flu, and I found this out ONE DAY after my iMed insurance expired. I also mentioned in an earlier post how I had JUST sent in my forms for MSP…well I am now uninsured for an unclear period of time.
Let’s deal with the immediate situation first, as I had to last Friday when I made my appointment with the student health centre and found out that my visit would be costing me 60 bucks. I called my mom and she said that the cost didn’t matter, that I should just pay the money and get better. Well, those 60 dollars confirmed that it was the flu. I went out, bought some medicine, and spent most of the weekend asleep.
Now, for the bigger problem. I, currently, do not have health insurance. I was lead to believe that the “3 month waiting period for MSP” started from my arrival in BC, meaning I would be eligible for coverage now (I arrived in August). Well, the woman I spoke to on the phone from MSP as well as the receptionist at the Student Health Centre told me that the “3 month waiting period” is for processing my application. Meaning, I won’t be insured until February. This is terrifying! I was not aware that that simple little form was so pressing, and as I shared my news with other international students, they didn’t seem to know, either! I now have two American friends who still haven’t sent in their MSP forms, who are freaking out about getting anywhere near anyone who is sick, while I am wondering how much this is going to wind up costing me in the long run.
UBC needs to do something to show the gravity of the MSP form to International Students. I went to GALA, and it* did cover MSP, but I didn’t know it was so important. And what about all the international students who couldn’t make it to GALA? I wonder how many people are in the same boat as I am right now.
Well here’s your warning, international students. APPLY FOR MSP IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY! It’s a simple process, and extremely worth it.
To UBC, make it a requirement to apply for MSP. I am not completely sure how to do this, but it is a big deal, one that international students should not have to face as flu season rolls in. Someone needs to recognize this issue and make it known.
* The fire alarm in my res went off at this point in writing this entry. Oh, to live in residence.
2 replies on “MSP – Making Sam Poor”
Go to the DCIS website, the company that does the iMED insurance, and apply for more insurance.
I’m not sure if you go through iMED again, or if you go through the Global Campus Health Plan. As a Canadian student with no Canadian insurance, having not lived here before, I wasn’t eligible for iMED, but GCHP is the equivalent. You basically pay money per month and you can keep renewing and readding if you want.
They process fairly quickly, as in I believe their insurance coverage begins when they receive your application.
Sam!!! You should go talk to an International student advisor at I.House if you haven’t already! They must know about alternatives for international students in your situation! (And tell your 2 friends to go w/you!)