University Health Insurance Plan 2

All eligible international students will be automatically enrolled under UHIP starting late August/early September. Once enrolled under UHIP, students will receive an email notifying them that they have been enrolled under UHIP as well as pertinent and important information regarding UHIP coverage, how to use UHIP, etc.

If you are not in Canada this Fall, a form will be provided in the email and will also be posted here in August. You will need to complete this form to let us know that you are not in Canada. Your UHIP will be adjusted accordingly. Note: You cannot opt-out of UHIP before getting enrolled under UHIP.

If you are planning to arrive in Canada during the months of September to December, you will need to ensure that you follow the quarantine guidelines and complete the Quarantine Accommodation Form to inform us of your arrival. You will be enrolled under UHIP accordingly and it will be effective from the start of the month of the date of your arrival.

All students arriving after December 2021 will be automatically enrolled under UHIP effective January 1, 2022.*

Normally, international students who are registered as active in a degree program are automatically enrolled under UHIP. However, this year, since a lot of international students are studying from their home countries, only students who are in Canada this year will be enrolled or charged for UHIP. So, if you are not in Canada, you should not be charged for UHIP. If you are not in Canada but you have been charged, please click here to update your UHIP status.

New Summer Start Students coming to Canada: Please make sure you follow the quarantine protocol and complete the required forms. You can find information regarding quarantine here. You will be enrolled under UHIP accordingly based on your date of arrival in Canada.

New Summer Start Students who stayed in Canada: Please click here to confirm that you are currently in Canada. You will be sent your UHIP card accordingly.

Fall and Winter Start Students who did not receive their UHIP card: Please click here to confirm that you are currently in Canada. You will be sent your UHIP card accordingly.

Some provinces have relaxed their eligibility criteria for their provincial health plans, and if you qualify, you are encouraged to apply. If no provincial plans are available to you, then you should remain on UHIP, if you reside in Canada. If this is the case, please send an email to uhip@yorku.ca with your student number, which province you reside in and your date of arrival in Canada and that province.

The preferred provider list is Ontario-based. Providers outside of the network have not agreed to UHIP reimbursement limits or to bill Sun Life directly. This means that you may incur out-of-pocket expenses while outside of Ontario.

What’s covered:  Only emergency services are eligible for reimbursement when members are outside of Ontario. Reimbursement is at the same level of coverage in Ontario.

What’s not covered:  Elective surgeries and treatments remain ineligible for coverage outside of the Province of Ontario, with the exception of Hull and Gatineau. This means treatment that is not urgently needed for survival or deemed essential to the maintenance of a person’s health.

Members should be referred to the UHIP website for information on “Claims processing outside of Ontario, but within Canada”:

How it works:

• Member will have to pay upfront for the hospital, medical provider or facility expenses.
• Members admitted to the hospital should notify Sun Life within 48 hours if the hospital stay is expected to last more than 72 hours.  The Case Management team will attempt to manage the hospital claim.
• Member will need to complete a claim form and get the original receipts for their medical expenses.
• Documents should be sent to Sun Life for reimbursement along with a completed UHIP claim form.

Please click here to complete the form to let us know of your travel update.

NOTE: The deadline to request a refund is March 31, 2021

Please click here to confirm that you are currently in Canada. You will be notified via email.

Please check your YorkU emails (if you have more than one). Your UHIP card gets sent directly to your YorkU email from Sun Life in a PDF format and you just have to print it out.

If you have not received it in your YorkU email, please click here to confirm that you are currently in Canada. You will be sent your UHIP card accordingly.

UHIP covers doctor’s fees in clinics and hospitals as well as lab tests such as X-rays and blood tests. If you visit a preferred provider with a paper copy of your UHIP card, you don’t need to pay anything (except $15 at Appletree clinics). The preferred provider list can be found here: https://www.sunlife.ca/studenthealth/.

For further information regarding UHIP coverage, please visit: https://uhip.ca/ or contact Sun Life directly at 1-866-500-8447.

UHIP does not cover prescriptions, dental, eye care, physio, etc. They are covered through your extended health and dental plan, which is administered by your student union (YFS if you are an undergrad student or GSA if you are a grad student). You are covered under two types of health plans: basic (UHIP) and extended (YFS/GSA).

For information regarding your extended health and dental plan, please contact your student union: http://www.yfs.ca/healthplan or http://yugsa.ca/services/health-plan/

You have access to COVID-19 screening free of charge, regardless of OHIP status (unless you need the test for travel reasons). You should provide your UHIP card if asked. If you do not have your UHIP card, please complete click here to request a UHIP card. If Sun Life (insurance company that handles UHIP claims) receives the claim, they will work with the provider to resolve the issue.

Before going to a screening location, members should take the self-assessment on the Ontario Government website.

Need a COVID test for travelling outside Canada? Please see the FAQ below this one.

As of Dec 11, 2020, the Ontario government has announced that they will no longer cover COVID testing for outbound international travellers. This announcement can be found here. UHIP will also not cover COVID testing for outbound international travellers.

If you need a COVID test for travelling outside Canada, some pharmacies like Shoppers Drug Mart* and labs like LifeLabs* are offering these tests at a cost.

*NOTE: It is your responsibility to check with your airline to confirm the COVID testing requirements for your flight.

Temporary residents such as international students are eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario. To find out when you are can get your COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccine Plan page. There are two methods to book your COVID-19 vaccine.

Method 1: Book your COVID-19 vaccine through the Ontario website here. Once you input your information and click "No Ontario health card", it will prompt you for two ways to book your vaccine: 1) Call the telephone number, 2) Visit the pharmacy to book a vaccine.

Method 2: You can also receive your COVID-19 vaccine through mobile teams and pop-up clinics. For regular updates about how and when you can get your vaccine please visit your local public health unit website.

• Toronto region, please visit the Toronto Public Health site.
• Peel Region, please visit the Peel Public Health site .
• York Region, please visit the York Region site.
• Durham Region, please visit the Durham Region site.

The following are some other links where you can book your vaccine:

For an up-to-date count on available vaccines in the GTA, click here. You can click on the clinic, which will take you the site to book your appointment.

For vaccine sites in Toronto, click here.

For vaccine sites in Peel, click here. For appointments through the William Olser Health System in Brampton, click here. For appointments through the Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga, click here.

For vaccine sites in York Region, click here.

For vaccine sites in Durham region, click here.

UHIP covers the cost of administering a vaccine (e.g. flu, hepatitis A&B) at UHIP rates. Please check with your student union to confirm whether the vaccine’s drug cost is eligible. For information regarding your extended health and dental plan, please contact your student union: http://www.yfs.ca/healthplan or http://yugsa.ca/services/health-plan/

Please note, UHIP covers the total expense for routine childhood vaccines (e.g. tetanus, polio).

International students/employees and their families in Ontario can receive their flu vaccine for free under the publicly-funded system from pharmacies (e.g. MedicineShoppe, Rexall, Shoppers Drug Mart), public health clinics, and community clinics. You do not need an Ontario health card to receive services at these providers.  Some physician offices may also provide this service for a fee. UHIP will cover the physician fee to administer the flu shot at UHIP rates.

Please contact the pharmacy or clinic regarding availability.

The UHIP premium for the 2020/2021 academic year is $60 per month per person ($720 for 12 months). Please note: Premium is subject to change each academic year.

Once you are enrolled in UHIP, your UHIP fees will appear on your student account. When you see the charges on your student account, you will be responsible for the outstanding balance. Payment for UHIP fees is made the same way tuition is paid. For more information on how and when to pay, please visit: https://sfs.yorku.ca/fees/your-student-account/how-and-when-to-pay

Note: It is your responsibility to check your student account and ensure payment of your outstanding balance.

UHIP covers doctor’s fees in clinics and hospitals as well as lab tests such as X-rays and blood tests. If you visit a preferred provider with a paper copy of your UHIP card, you don’t need to pay anything (except $15 at Appletree clinics). The preferred provider list can be found here: https://www.sunlife.ca/studenthealth/.

UHIP does not cover prescriptions, dental, eye care, physio, etc. They are covered through your extended health and dental plan, which is administered by your student union (YFS if you are an undergrad student or GSA if you are a grad student). You are covered under two types of health plans: basic (UHIP) and extended (YFS/GSA).

For information regarding your extended health and dental plan, please contact your student union: http://www.yfs.ca/healthplan or http://yugsa.ca/services/health-plan/

To renew your dependents’ coverage, please send a completed and signed copy of the following application form to uhip@yorku.ca with your student number in the subject line: http://uhip.ca/Content/Assets/_Uploads/en_UHIP_AppForm.pdf.

NOTE: Their coverage will begin retroactively from Sept 1, 2020. In addition, you will need to submit an application form to renew your dependent’s coverage every academic year (Sept).

You may add your dependent(s) under your UHIP. Please send the following documents to uhip@yorku.ca with your student number in the subject line:

1. A completed and signed copy of the following application form: http://uhip.ca/Content/Assets/_Uploads/en_UHIP_AppForm.pdf. You can leave the info about the coverage information blank and your member ID is YU+student number.
2. Your dependent’s work/study/visitor permit. If they do not have a permit, then please scan and send me a copy of their passport page with the date of entry stamp and the front page of the passport.

Note: You will need to submit an application form to renew your dependent’s coverage every academic year (Sept).

Please note that you may need to add your dependent under your extended health plan, as well. For information regarding the difference between both UHIP and extended plans, please visit: http://yorkinternational.yorku.ca/uhip/. For information regarding your extended health and dental plan, please contact your student union: http://www.yfs.ca/healthplan (if you are an undergrad student) or http://yugsa.ca/services/health-plan/ (if you are a grad student).

To be covered under UHIP during your leave of absence, approval must be granted at least one month prior to taking the leave of absence. Therefore, you are required to contact the UHIP Administrator at least one month prior to taking the leave.
Your UHIP coverage may be continued for a maximum of 4 months per academic year. For a maternity or paternity leave of absence, your UHIP coverage may be continued for a maximum of 12 months.

To apply for a leave of absence, please email uhip@yorku.ca with your student number in the subject line. In the email, please state the following:

• Reason of taking a leave of absence
• Confirmation that you will return to studies in the next term (if it is not a maternity or paternity leave of absence).

If you are a grad student taking a leave of absence, then you will need to provide a leave of absence approval letter by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

You can extend it for two more months after Aug (Sept and Oct) since you graduated in June 2020. The process is as follows:

Step 1: You will need to fill out an application form and make a payment via debit or credit. Please send a completed and signed copy of the following application form at uhip@yorku.ca with your student number in the subject line: http://uhip.ca/Content/Assets/_Uploads/en_UHIP_AppForm.pdf. You can leave the info about the coverage information blank and your member ID is YU+student number.

Step 2: Once we receive the application form, we will need to have a Zoom call with you where you can provide us with your credit or debit information to process a payment ($120 for 2 months). We will share my screen so that you can see us input your credit or debit information into the online Moneris terminal. This is for confidentiality purposes. Please book a virtual advising at the top under "Book an Appointment".

NOTE: Your coverage will be continuous and retroactive from Sept 1st.

Please also note that after Oct, you will need to look into a private health plan.

You can extend it for up to six more months after Aug (Sept to Feb) since you are graduating in Oct 2020. The process is as follows:

Step 1: You will need to fill out an application form and make a payment via debit or credit. Please send a completed and signed copy of the following application form at uhip@yorku.ca with your student number in the subject line: http://uhip.ca/Content/Assets/_Uploads/en_UHIP_AppForm.pdf.

Step 2: Once we receive the application form, we will need to have a Zoom call with you where you can provide us with your credit or debit information to process a payment ($360 for 6 months). We will share my screen so that you can see us input your credit or debit information into the online Moneris terminal. This is for confidentiality purposes. Please book a virtual advising at the top under "Book an Appointment".

NOTE: Your coverage will be continuous and retroactive from Sept 1st.
Please note that after Feb, you will need to look into a private health plan.

You get automatically enrolled for 12 months if you start in the Fall. If you are not taking Winter courses and graduating in Feb 2021, please send an email to uhip@yorku.ca with your student number before March 1, 2021. Your UHIP will be reversed from Jan to Aug accordingly.

If you do not request a refund, you will remain covered under UHIP until Aug 31, 2021.

You may file a claim for the doctor’s fees within 12 months of visiting the clinic/hospital/lab if you still have the receipt. The claim form can be found here: https://uhip.ca/Content/Assets/_Uploads/en_UHIP_ClaimForm.pdf.  The instructions on how to fill out the form can be found here. Using your university email address, you can send scanned copies or photographs of the claim form and accompanying invoices/receipts to myclaims@sunlife.com. Be sure to include policy #50150 and your UHIP member ID (YU+student number) in the subject line.

Please note that you may not get 100% of your money back. This is because there is a limit as to how much Sun Life can reimburse you and if the clinic/hospital charged higher than that limit, then you will have some out-of-pocket costs.

There are specific clinics, hospitals and labs all around Ontario that accept UHIP. This means that if you visit these providers with a paper copy of your UHIP card, you do not need to pay anything - they will bill the insurance company (Sun Life) directly. The only exception to this is the Appletree clinics, where you pay a $15 copay.

The list can be found here.

Note: Make sure you take a paper copy of your UHIP card to the clinic/hospital/lab with you. If you don't have your UHIP card, click here to request one.

If you are not in Canada, please click here to complete a form to update your travel plans.

NOTE: The deadline to request a refund is March 31, 2021.

Please send a copy of your government health card to uhip@yorku.ca with your student number in the subject line.

UHIP is mandatory for international students who are registered as active in a degree program and exchange students.

Sun Life’s Case Management Team reviews the pre-approved list of plans (annually) located on the UHIP website: http://uhip.ca/Enrollment/Index#e1.

The Case Management Team only reviews exemption requests from government-sponsored students. This means their government is paying for their tuition, living expenses and a health care policy for them.

To be considered for an exemption, the government must be paying for your education, expenses and a health care policy for you. If this is the case, please see the instructions below.

Instructions for submitting a request for a UHIP exemption:
Sun Life will only review UHIP exemption requests from government-sponsored students. This means that your government is paying for your education, expenses and a health care policy while you are actively
participating in school.

If you hold publicly funded government insurance from your home country, you do not meet the criteria for applying for an exemption and your policy will not be reviewed.

If you are a government-sponsored student, the following documents are required in English or French in order for Sun Life to review your application:
• Insurance policy certificate containing the full name of policyholder and date of eligibility
• Full insurance policy details including limitations and exclusions
• Completed ‘Request for Exemption from UHIP (Policy 50150)’ form (link:  Request for Exemption from UHIP form.)

Sun Life must receive your email or fax request within 45 days of your UHIP coverage start date. Requests received after these deadline dates won’t be reviewed. Your email or FAX request must be received within 45
days of your UHIP coverage start date.

Fall session: October 15
Winter session: February 15
Summer session: June 15

Please send your form and supporting documents to Sun Life at:
Email: case.mgmt@sunlife.com or
Toll Free FAX: 1.866.291.9479

UHIP website reference for eligible policies and process information:  http://uhip.ca/Enrollment/Index#e1