The AMS Health Plan’s automatic enrolment and impact on OHIP+ eligibility has raised concerns about coverage clarity for students.
The AMS Health and Dental Plan provides Queen’s undergraduate students with AMS Memberships coverage for prescriptions, dental care, vision, mental health services, and more. The plan costs $387.58 for the full academic year and is automatically included in student fees. Students can access their card via the Securian app.
The plan is meant to ensure all students have access to essential health care, but automatic enrolment, the inability to opt out without private insurance, and the loss of OHIP+ benefits has confused some students.
Gianluca Agostini, ArtSci ’26, took to Reddit after learning he couldn’t opt out. Previously, he was eligible for OHIP+, which fully covered his medication costs. In an interview with The Journal, Agostini shared his experience of being automatically enrolled.
“Before I entered Queen’s, I was covered by OHIP+ […] for prescriptions and I also had the Canada dental plan,” he continued, “when I entered Queen’s, the AMS healthcare made me lose OHIP+ coverage.”
Agostini also went on to say how the loss of OHIP+ affected him.
“I have asthma, and under OHIP+, my medication was 100 per cent covered. Under the AMS plan, it’s only partially covered” he continued, “I was kind of shocked, honestly. I didn’t expect to be paying more out of pocket now that I’m in university.”
Due to a lack of time, Agostini hasn’t reached out to the AMS regarding the issue.
“I didn’t try calling, honestly, because I didn’t think it would change. Insurance companies aren’t famous for flexibility,” he continued, “I didn’t really have time to go up against the AMS either.”
In an interview with The Journal, President of the AMS, Jana Amer, Vice-President (Operations), Elena Nurzynski, addressed these concerns and clarified other questions about the plan.
Amer acknowledged that the situation can be confusing for students, but emphasized that the AMS is following broader precedent. “All student unions and universities across Canada provide private insurance,” she explained.
According to Amer, universities provide private insurance to mitigate general liability and ensure that all students have access to adequate health care and coverage. She also clarified that once a student is enrolled in the plan, they lose access to OHIP+ benefits, as is the case with all private insurances at universities.
Administered by the insurance company Alumo, the AMS plan includes 80 per cent coverage for most prescription drugs up to $5,000 per year, dental services up to $750 annually, and $150 every 24 months for eyeglasses or contact lenses. It also includes virtual physician access, 24/7 mental health counselling, and gender-affirming care.
Starting in 2025, a new Alumo and Rexall partnership covers the remaining 20 per cent of prescription costs, making most medications free for students
According to Amer, the AMS executive team, as well as some general managers within the AMS, work with Alumo each winter term to revise the plan for the following academic year. Changes are based on student experience surveys, claims data, and consultations with health plan representatives.
Nurzynski added that the need for affordability for students guides changes to the plan.
“It always comes down to keeping affordability in mind. Student pricing’s what we focus on the most at the AMS. Everything is rooted, and every single decision is made with students and what our students can afford in mind,” she said.
Though the plan offers broad coverage, navigating the transition from public to private insurance can be confusing for students used to provincial programs like OHIP+, Amer recognized. She assured that the AMS will continue improving education around the plan.
“We’re continuously working on making sure that that information is out first,” she said. “We always have scheduled email blasts that go to all of our students so they can really just learn and see the options they have available for them.”
She also shared that if students have questions, they can visit the AMS front desk or contact the health and dental email listed online, saying that staff are trained to assist students with any inquiries.
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