Eligibility and EnrolmentAll residents of B.C. must enrol with MSPUnder the Medicare Protection Act, enrolment with MSP is mandatory for all eligible residents and their dependents. » Who is Eligible? Who is Eligible?An individual must be a resident of B.C. in order to qualify for medical coverage under MSP. A resident is a person who meets all of the following conditions:
Certain other individuals, such as some holders of study and/or work permits, or working permits on working holiday programs, which are issued under the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act are deemed to be residents, but tourists or visitors to B.C. do not qualify. If you are uncertain about your eligibility status, contact MSP for assistance.
How to Enrol with MSPIf you are applying for a self-administered MSP account, complete an Application for Enrolment form.If MSP coverage is available through your employer, union or pension plan, contact that office for information about group applications. Any existing self-administered account will be cancelled by MSP when your group application is processed. If your employer, union or pension plan stops providing coverage under a group account, a self-administered account will automatically be set up for you and you will be billed directly for premiums from that date. Persons who have or may be eligible for MSP benefits through Health Canada (Canadian status aboriginals) or the Ministry of Housing and Social Development should contact those agencies. When does Coverage Begin?New residents or persons re-establishing residence in B.C. are eligible for coverage after completing a waiting period that normally consists of the balance of the month of arrival plus two months. For example, if an eligible person arrives during the month of July, coverage is available October 1. If absences from Canada exceed a total of 30 days during the waiting period, eligibility for coverage may be affected.You should apply for MSP coverage immediately after arriving in B.C., rather than at the end of the waiting period, to allow time for your application to be processed. When a family moves to B.C. from another part of Canada and the husband and wife arrive separately, the waiting period for family coverage begins on the later date of arrival. If, however, a spouse will reside in B.C. for 12 or more months before the rest of the family moves here, that spouse needs apply for MSP coverage before the end of the 12 month period (coverage provided by the former home province cannot exceed 12 months). Once they arrive in B.C., the other family members can be added to the account - see Adding and Removing Dependents below. The rest of the family remains eligible for coverage in the other province for the balance of the month of departure plus two months, and will be required to complete the waiting period once arriving in B.C. Coverage During the Waiting PeriodNew residents from other parts of Canada should maintain coverage with their former medical plan during the waiting period. New or returning residents arriving from outside Canada should contact a private insurance company for coverage during this period.
Changes that Affect Your CoverageAddress Change You should report an address change to MSP immediately - if possible, use one of MSP's online Address Change Forms. (Also see Permanent Move from B.C.) Name Change When you change your name and the name on your CareCard is now incorrect, you need to apply to have a new CareCard issued to you with your correct legal name. When MSP issues a new CareCard because a person’s name has changed, a fee is not charged.
Marriage When you marry (or begin living in a marriage-like relationship - see the definition of spouse under Who is Eligible?), you should combine separate MSP accounts into one family account - see Adding a Spouse below. If one or both spouses are changing their names, follow the instructions for Name Change. Divorce Upon divorce, the former spouse of an account holder is no longer eligible for coverage under the same account. See Removing Dependents below.
Adding and Removing DependentsIf you are unsure who can be covered under your account, see Who is Eligible?
Children are no longer eligible for coverage as dependents when they:
When a family member passes away, it is not usually necessary to notify MSP. When a person dies in B.C., MSP's records are updated automatically. However, if the family member passed away outside B.C. or more than 60 days have elapsed and there is reason to believe MSP's records have not been updated, please contact MSP.
Absence from British ColumbiaFor information on your eligibility for MSP coverage and benefit entitlements while you are temporarily away from B.C., see Leaving B.C. Cancelling Your Coverage
First Nations and Inuit ResidentsBasic Medical Coverage If you require an application for enrolment, see Medical Services Plan (MSP) Enrolment Application. If you need to make a change to your account, such as adding or deleting a family member (spouse or child with status), see Medical Services Plan (MSP) Change Request. For addition of a newborn see Baby Enrolment/Addition of a Newborn. If you have a non-status family member who needs to obtain coverage, contact MSP directly. Each person who is enroled with MSP is issued a CareCard with a unique Personal Health Number that you present when health care services are required. If you are already covered by MSP, forms are available on this web site to advise our office of an address change within B.C., to request a new CareCard, or to advise us that you or a family member have left B.C. permanently (see Permanent Move from B.C.).
Non-insured Health Benefits and Items First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
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