The complaint: Taylor contacted us with concerns about their Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage. Taylor lives with an ongoing medical condition and requires routine testing and ultrasounds. They were advised by their doctor’s office that their MSP coverage was not active. When Taylor contacted Health Insurance BC (HIBC), they were informed that their coverage was cancelled because they did not meet the provincial residency requirements.

Taylor reapplied for MSP coverage and was told there was a 21-day waiting period. They could not afford to pay out of pocket for the services they urgently required.

What we did: We investigated to see whether HIBC had acted reasonably in cancelling Taylor’s MSP coverage without notice. We also investigated to see if the 21-day waiting period was fair given Taylor’s ongoing medical condition.

How we helped: HIBC admitted it made a mistake when it cancelled Taylor’s coverage. HIBC retroactively reopened Taylor’s account. HIBC also apologized to Taylor and agreed to implement measures to prevent this mistake from happening again.
HIBC will now give eligible residents three months’ notice before their MSP coverage is cancelled. HIBC also committed to train its intake staff on this new process.

Why it matters: Fair decisions require adequate notice so that individuals like Taylor are not left in vulnerable situations.