University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)

UHIP (University Health Insurance Plan) is a compulsory insurance plan for foreign students, exchange students, visiting students, guest professors/researchers, Canadians returning from abroad, and new Canadian residents who have not yet obtained coverage from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (or their province of residence).

UHIP covers medical and hospital expenses during your stay in Canada and standard medical visits. It also helps you obtain certain medical devices, as needed, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.

UHIP is COMPULSORY coverage. It is not necessary for you to purchase another insurance plan for the academic year. UHIP coverage starts on the 11th day of the month preceding the start of your program of study, for newly enrolled students, or at the start of the session, for returning students.

IMPORTANT:

Outside the periods of UHIP insurance coverage, you are ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE for obtaining insurance, for your own protection and that of your dependents.

Hospital or medical expenses can be onerous. For example, in the case of an uninsured accident, a foreign student would have to pay $2,840 (CDN) per day of hospitalization for the bed alone. Expenses for medical care, including treatment, surgical procedures, and scans (minimum $700) or MRIs (approximately $1,225) and all related expenses would be additional. The cost of an uninsured hospitalization can very quickly top $10,000 (rates provided by the Ottawa Hospital as of July 10, 2006).
We very strongly advise obtaining a secondary insurance policy to cover the gaps in UHIP coverage (before the 11th day of the month preceding your studies).

Examples:

Arrival in Canada of a newly registered student	August 2, 2007
Start of the University session	September 5, 2007
Start of UHIP coverage	August 11, 2007

N.B.: In this case, it is recommended that the student obtain temporary health insurance for the coverage period from August 3, 2007 (date of arrival) to August 10, 2007.

The Studentguard company offers temporary coverage at $1.45/person/day. Forms are available on the company’s Web site or at the International Office (http://www.uottawa.ca/international/main_netscape.html).

The Travelguard company offers temporary coverage at $2.70/person/day.

Further information on the coverage provided by these two insurance companies is available on their respective Web sites.

FAMILIES:

UHIP coverage may extend to your immediate family (spouse, dependent children). However, their UHIP coverage must be purchased within 30 days of their arrival in Canada. Premiums for dependents’ insurance are only paid on the first day of the month following their arrival if they arrive after the second day of the month.

Examples:

If you arrive on August 15 and your spouse and one child arrive on October 4, you will pay the “member only” premium for the length of your stay starting in September and will also pay the “addition of two or more dependents” premium from November until the end of their stay in Canada.

If you, your spouse and child arrive on August 19, you will pay the “member and two dependents” premium from September until the end of your stay.

Students must renew their insurance every year, after registering, for themselves and their dependents.

(*) If you are a guest professor/researcher who is visiting or has been hired by the University, you must purchase your UHIP coverage at the Human Resources Service, Tabaret Hall, room 019.

Premiums for the 2007/2008 academic year

Table of UHIP premiums
(September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008)

Number of months of coverage	Member only	Addition of a dependent	Member and a dependent	Addition of two or more dependents	Member and two or more dependents
1	$63	$108	$171	$216	$279
2	$126	$216	$342	$432	$558
3	$189	$324	$513	$648	$837
4	$252	$432	$684	$864	$1,116
5	$315	$540	$855	$1,080	$1,395
6	$378	$648	$1,026	$1,296	$1,674
7	$441	$756	$1,197	$1,512	$1,953
8	$504	$864	$1,368	$1,728	$2,232
9	$567	$972	$1,539	$1,944	$2,511
10	$630	$1,080	$1,710	$2,160	$2,790
11	$693	$1,188	$1,881	$2,376	$3,069
12	$756	$1,296	$2,052	$2,592	$3,348

Students will find it preferable to pay their UHIP coverage with their tuition fees through a bank transfer.

For further information on the coverage provided by the University Health Insurance Plan, please visit www.uhip.ca or inquire at the International Office, 538 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa ON K1N 6N5.

N.B. This plan does not cover dental care. The cost of complementary prescription drug insurance is added directly to your ancillary fees.

Prescription drug insurance is provided through SFUO (undergraduate students): (http://www.sfuo.ca/english/3/3_4.cfm) and drug and dental insurance, through GSAED (graduate students) (http://www.uottawa.ca/gsaed/eng/insurance.htm).

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