HEALTH SERVICES
First of all, get your health card at the International Student Office (H-653). If you come from a country that has an agreement with the Quebec government (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal and Sweden) get your Medicare card (read the following section). Once you have your health card, if you need to visit a Doctor here you can find where to go on campus during service hours and outside, when the services are closed: here.
The clinic in 1550 De Maisonneuve W. Room GM-200 is the closest one to the Film school and serves all international students in the downtown campus. Unfortunately George Clooney left his position as a Doctor in order to pursue a career in the film industry, so he wont be around.
You can ask for an appointment by phone: 514-848-2424 ext.3565 (for SGW campus). Normally it takes some days to get one, so in case of an urgent problem you can just drop by the Walk-In Physician Clinic for Urgent Care in SGW campus (GM-200), from Monday to Friday. Note that registration begins at 9:00 am. Another option for busy schedules is the Walk-in Nurse Clinic, where they can assist you with: colds and flu, sore throat, gastroenteritis, burns, cuts, stress, emergency contraception and advice, among other things. It is also located at GM-200.
For more information on the Health Services take a look at their web: http://health.concordia.ca
Always remember to carry your health card with you.
→ Students with Medicare Cards
If you come from a country that has a health agreement with the Quebec government you are exempted from paying Concordia’s International Students health insurance and will be issued a Medicare card. You can find information about this on the International Students web page here.
“To obtain a Quebec Medicare Card, students must present proof of registration in their government’s medical system and will have to show proof of full-time status at Concordia University.” The documentation you will have to present, depends on your country of origin, please consult the link provided above. Also check out the information available on the Régie de l’assurance maladie’s web. Here they explain the steps you have to follow in order to get a Medicare card. In the Régie’s web you can find as well information regarding the Quebec Medicare insurance’s coverage. Quebec Medicare covers physicians’ charges and hospitalization costs, yet it doesn’t extend to many other items, like drug prescription costs. You have the option of getting the supplemental Health plan with the GSA (292.02$/year): www.ihaveaplan.ca
→ If you need to visit a Doctor, you can use the Concordia Health Services. Take you Concordia ID and Medicare card with you. As well you can use any of the clinics or hospitals within the Medicare network, which are most of the clinics in the city: “Most doctors participate in the Health Insurance Plan, which means that they accept the Health Insurance Card as payment for their fees. In that case, insured persons have nothing to pay. The Régie remunerates these doctors directly for the services they provide. You may therefore wish to ask the doctor you consult whether he/she participates in the plan.” Just ask before setting an appointment.
→ Supplemental Dental Plan
International Students within the Concordia Health Plan can also get additional dental coverage (140,63$) above the compulsory Blue Cross plan through the GSA (Graduate Students Association). Here some information from the International Student’s office web:
If you are interested in having this additional health and dental insurance you must self-enrol at the start of your academic programme before the following deadlines:
Enrolments must be completed between Sept. 3 – 23, 2013. Only new international students starting in January 2014 can enrol in the Dental Plan from Jan. 6 – 24, 2014 for coverage from Jan. 1 – Aug. 31, 2014.
Eligibility and details about specific coverage with these plans is available from the Quebec Student Health Alliance on their web and at:
Telephone: 514-789-8790 Toll free: 1-866-795-4437
+ More on finances, RA and TA issues in our next issue!
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