Maintaining BC MSP coverage out-of-school

[24KaratPureAu]

Hi, 

I'm wondering if there are any past applicants who finished school before their application year to medicine, and worked or took a gap year outside of BC. Did you call MSP office right-away when you finish your program to continue your coverage (and thus maintain BC in-province status)? Also, did you apply for the allowed absence period since you were no longer in school? 

If so, can you share some light into how easy it was to apply for the extra allowable absence period? 

My sources are from this policy on the BC MSP website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/managing-your-msp-account/leaving-bc-temporarily

Thank you in advance!

[Redpill]

They have rules but they don't really check. If you keep filing taxes as a BC resident and pay MSP premiums (which I think are going away soon, if not gone already) then no one will take away your BC health card.

You just won't be able to hold residency in multiple provinces at the same time, but that shouldn't matter.

[24KaratPureAu]

31 minutes ago, Redpill said:

They have rules but they don't really check. If you keep filing taxes as a BC resident and pay MSP premiums (which I think are going away soon, if not gone already) then no one will take away your BC health card.

You just won't be able to hold residency in multiple provinces at the same time, but that shouldn't matter.

Thank you. I agree. I never told them I'm doing a Masters and I am still having valid MSP coverage. I guess they get the information from my tax reports or student loans. 

[Redpill]

1 minute ago, 24KaratPureAu said:

Thank you. I agree. I never told them I'm doing a Masters and I am still having valid MSP coverage. I guess they get the information from my tax reports or student loans. 

If you're out of province for education you are actually still considered a BC resident as far as your health coverage and taxpayer status is concerned. You likely had to take BC student loans as well, if you took any government loans at all.

[frenchpress]

If you start going to the doctor a lot out of province, they may follow up with you to check that you’re actually still away for ‘education’ and are eligible to be considered a BC resident. 

For a long time I only saw my family doctor in my old province when I was visiting family, because I didn’t have a doctor in BC, and they did once get in touch with me and ask me to verify I was still living in BC - I had to send them proof of continued residency in BC, and explain I had not actually moved. And many years ago I once had to provide proof of enrolment to my original home province to maintain my health care coverage there while in BC for school, before I switched to BC resident / MSP. So the provinces definitely do check. They might not check that often, but if they catch you and you haven’t applied for an exemption you might be SOL.

 

[Redpill]

21 hours ago, frenchpress said:

If you start going to the doctor a lot out of province, they may follow up with you to check that you’re actually still away for ‘education’ and are eligible to be considered a BC resident. 

For a long time I only saw my family doctor in my old province when I was visiting family, because I didn’t have a doctor in BC, and they did once get in touch with me and ask me to verify I was still living in BC - I had to send them proof of continued residency in BC, and explain I had not actually moved. And many years ago I once had to provide proof of enrolment to my original home province to maintain my health care coverage there while in BC for school, before I switched to BC resident / MSP. So the provinces definitely do check. They might not check that often, but if they catch you and you haven’t applied for an exemption you might be SOL.

 

This is a good point. Every time you access care outside your home province the province has to do some paperwork in the background to essentially bill your home province for the care. If you do it too many times they will wonder what's going on.