Overview

** Your Certificate ID is your Student B00 number with the B replaced with a 0. For example, B00123456 becomes 000123456.**

ALL Full-Time Students at King's are automatically enrolled into the KSU Health & Dental plan effective September 1st. No further action is needed, unless you wish to opt out. ALL Part- Time students who wish to opt into the KSU Health & Dental plan must complete the manual process each year.

Opting Out (for Full-Time students)

Please note, that to be approved to opt out of the KSU Health & Dental plan, you must provide alternative proof of coverage (Proof of Coverage Example). Unfortunately, the CDCP does not meet the requirements for alternative dental coverage.

To Opt out, please follow these steps:

1. Visit studentbenefits.ca and select 'How to opt out'

2. Fill out all required information on the ‘Opt Out Registration’ page

3. Click ‘Validate’

4. You will receive a confirmation email once your opt - out has been reviewed and approved. If it is not approved, you will recieve further details on what is required.

Once your opt-out has been approved, you will receive a credit on your King’s student account within 1-2 weeks for the reimbursed amount.

Opting in (for Part-Time Students)

Part-time students (less than nine credit hours per semester) AND any students beginning their studies in the winter are NOT automatically enrolled into the Health and Dental plan. If you wish to enroll yourself in the KSU Health & Dental plan you must complete the opt in process each year as a part time student.

To Opt in as a part-time student, please follow these steps:

1. Fill out this form.

2. Email the completed form to coordinator@ksu.ca

3. E-transfer the required fee to fvp@ksu.ca with your Student B00# in the subject line. In the e-transfer message, please specify whether you are opting in to the Health plan, Dental plan, or both.

Adding Dependents (for Students with Families)

You may opt-in your spouses and dependents for an additional fee. If you wish to enroll your dependent(s) or spouse in the KSU Health & Dental plan, you must complete the add dependants registration process each year.

To add dependants to your plan, please follow these steps:

1. Fill out this form.

2. Email the completed form to coordinator@ksu.ca

3. E-transfer the required fee to fvp@ksu.ca with your Student B00# in the subject line. In the e-transfer message, please specify whether you are opting in to the Health plan, Dental plan, or both.

The KSU Health & Dental plan covers 80% up to $850 per policy year (from September 1st to August 31st) for a variety of dental services and procedures. However, there are some steps you can take to ensure that you will not have to pay more than you were expecting.

1.  Review the "Health and Dental Booklet 2025-2026" on the Drawbridge app/website to find out which dental procedures/services are covered by the plan. If you are still unsure, ask the dental office to provide you with the Dentist Codes  that you will be charged for. Next, reach out to studentbenefits.ca or coordinator@ksu.ca to confirm if these procedures are covered by the insurance plan.

2. Ask the Dental office if they direct bill (many do). If they do not direct bill, you will have to pay out of pocket at the time of your appointment and be reimbursed later.

3. Ask the Dental office if they charge according to the Nova Scotia Dental Fee Guide or the Specialist Fee Guide. The specialist guide has higher fees, so students can avoid paying more by seeking out dental providers that charge following the Nova Scotia Dental Fee Guide.

Drawbridge is the online portal and app for accessing your health plan, checking coverage, submitting claims and more! Your member ID card will be accessible online or from the Drawbridge app under your profile name. It is a good idea to add it to your phones digital wallet so that it's always with you!

How to Register for your Member Portal:

• Visit the KSU Drawbridge Registration Portal

• Enter your name and date of birth in the fields required

• Enter your Certificate ID (your B00 number with the B replaced with a 0)

• When creating your account, you must use your Dal email for the initial registration, but you can change it to any email you prefer after the setup

• After creating your account, you will receive a confirmation email  and a link to finish the registration process, which should be completed within 48 hours

• Once your account is created, you can update your personal information and add your direct deposit information so that you can get reimbursed for your claims!

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TO SUBMIT CLAIMS AND GET REIMBURSEMENT YOU MUST HAVE AN ONLINE ACCOUNT, UNLESS YOU WILL BE SUBMITTING CLAIMS BY MAIL

When registering on Drawbridge, your Certificate ID is your Student B00 number with the B replaced with a 0. For example, B00123456 becomes 000123456.

Want to watch a video on how to register on Drawbridge? Click here.

Many providers offer direct billing for services including most pharmacies and dental offices. However, some smaller providers may not offer direct billing. Before going to an appointment it is a good idea to check your health provider's website or call in advance to see if they offer direct billing. If they do not, you will have to pay out of pocket at the time of your appointment.

**When you are at an appointment, you must have access to your health and dental member ID card so that your health provider can directly bill PBAS. **

• Direct billing means that the insurance company is billed directly and you do not have to pay the full amount out of pocket for the health service. However, you are still responsible for paying any co-pay or deductible amount at the time of service.

• If the health provider does not offer direct billing, you will have to pay the full cost for the health service out of pocket, submit a claim online and wait for reimbursement (usually 1-3 business days but it may take longer).

• You can submit a claim on their online website or on the Drawbridge+ app (available on Android and IOS).

• To submit a claim online, you must have an online account on the Drawbridge portal. If you don’t have an account already, please revisit "Online registration on the Drawbridge portal".

• Unsure on how to submit a claim? Please check out this video

• You must submit your claim within 6 months from the date of service, or you will no longer be eligible for reimbursement.

The Pay Direct Providers in NS 2025 list  and Registration Instructions for Providers list (for providers who need assistance registering with PBAS) can be found on the Drawbridge app or website under the documents/brochure tab.

Master of Fine Arts Students

Master of Fine Arts students beginning the MFA program in Spring/Summer will not be covered by the Health & Dental plan until September 1st, when all full-time students are automatically enrolled

International Students

International students who are studying full time are automatically enrolled in both the KSU Health & Dental plan and the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) International Health Plan, which provides coverage similar to MSI. MSI is Nova Scotia’s provincial health insurance for residents, covering things like doctor’s visits and emergency care. For any questions relating to the DSU International Health plan, please contact dsuhlth@dal.ca

Students with a valid study permit, along with their spouses and dependents, become eligible for MSI on the first day of their 13th month of full-time residence.

To learn more about  MSI, please check out the following resources:

1. Nova Scotia MSI Brochure

2. What’s Covered with MSI

3. Eligibility for MSI

4.  Applying for MSI

Out of Province Students

All Full-Time Out of Province students are able to access the Dalhousie Health and Wellness Clinic (included in their tuition fees), allowing them to see doctors, nurses and other health practicioners at no cost. The cost of these appointments for out of province students are covered by their provincial health plan. However, out of province students from Quebec are subject to paying out of pocket costs for accessing these services, which can than be submitted to RAMQ for provincial healthcare reimbursement.

Dual - Citizen Students

 **Dual citizens that are NOT paying international tuition by enrolling as a domestic student are NOT automatically enrolled in the International Health Plan.**

Dual Canadian citizens are eligible to apply for MSI once they arrive in Canada. If However, there is roughly a 1 month long processing from the date of your application, to when your MSI card arrives and your plan becomes actives. During this interim period, it is recommended that students purchase DSU's short term "Student VIP Plan". The Student VIP Plan  insures students for primary care while they wait for their MSI application is processed, at a cost of 1.70$ per day.

When you’re covered by two health insurance plans, coordination of benefits ensures that the total amount paid by both insurers doesn’t exceed the cost of your medical services. The primary insurance covers first, while the secondary insurance steps in to cover any remaining balance.

How It Works:

• Your primary insurance pays first for covered medical services.

• Your secondary insurance picks up the remaining cost (up to the limit set by the policy) to help you cover additional expenses like co-pays or uncovered services.

• If your primary insurer covers 80% of a medical service, your secondary insurer may cover the remaining 20%, effectively reducing your out-of-pocket costs.

Important Reminder: Check with both insurance providers about their C.O.B policies  because each provider has different rules, restrictions, and limitations about how they process claims or what they cover.

How to File Claims with Coordination of Benefits

Step 1: Submit to Primary Insurance provider

• First, submit your medical claim to your primary insurance provider. Make sure you’ve included all necessary documentation (e.g., invoices, receipts for the medical services).

• Your primary insurance will process the claim and send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) (or a Claim Summary, in some cases) outlining how much was paid and what you owe

• This document will show the amount your primary insurer covered and the remaining amount you owe (such as co-pays or deductibles).

Step 2: Submit to Secondary Insurance provider

• Submit your claim (just like you did with the primary insurer) to your secondary insurance provider.

• Include the EOB from the primary insurance, along with your invoice and/or receipt if it’s required by your secondary insurer

• The secondary insurer will process the claim based on what the primary insurer has already paid, and they may cover the remaining balance based on their policy

If everything is processed correctly, your secondary insurance will cover the remaining amount (up to their coverage limits), and you could end up having your medical expenses covered 100%

Summary

• Primary Insurance: Pays first.

• Secondary Insurance: Pays second, covering the remaining balance (up to their limits).

• Explanation of Benefits: The key document you need to submit to your secondary insurer.

• Coordination of Benefits: Maximizes your coverage by combining both insurers’ payments, potentially covering your medical expenses in full.

Students from Kings/Dalhousie can book health appointments here. The Health and Wellness Centre is located on the 2nd floor at 1246 LeMarchant Street.

• Access to Health care providers at the Dalhousie Health and Wellness centre come at no cost to domestic Kings and Dalhousie students with MSI coverage, as well as out of province students.

• International students enrolled in the DSU's International Health plan are also able to access these services at no cost.

• Students that are not covered by MSI or an International Health plan will be charged a fee of 40$ per visit.

• Students get access to the clinic for one academic term past the last academic term they have paid tuition to Dalhousie. (EX: If a student paid tuition to Dalhousie in the Fall term 2025 and that was their last term at Dalhousie, they would have access to the clinic until April 30 2026 the end of the next academic term). If you are on a formal medical leave of absence, you have access to the Centre while they are on the leave (for up to one year).

Please be aware when booking an appointment, that you may be charged a 40$ fee for a no show or a last minute cancellation.