MSP Enrolment for Adopted Children

Children who are adopted or in the process of being adopted by residents of B.C. are eligible for enrolment in the Medical Services Plan (MSP) under their adoptive parents’ MSP account.

Adoptive parents can add their children using the online form found at www.gov.bc.ca/MSP/applyforhealthcare. The child must be in B.C. when the parents complete their application for enrolment in MSP.

Parents who have adopted their child or who have a child placed with them for the purpose of adoption from within Canada must provide one of the following:

• letter from the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD);
• letter from an Adoption Agency;
• confirmation of adoption finalization; or
• a copy of the child’s long-form birth certificate indicating the name(s) of the adoptive parent(s).

Parents who have adopted their child or who have a child placed with them for the purpose of adoption from outside of Canada must provide one of the following:

• letter from an Adoption Agency; or
• Hague Convention Notification of Agreement Letter (if applicable); or
• Non-Hague Letter of No Object (if applicable); or
• confirmation of adoption finalization; and
• confirmation of the child’s legal status in Canada issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

If a child arrives in B.C. before they have been issued confirmation of their legal status from IRCC or if there is a delay in receiving confirmation of the child's legal status, the child may be eligible for temporary enrolment if the parent(s) provide HIBC with the following additional information: 

• indicate the adoption is from outside of Canada on the application; and 
• IRCC documentation demonstrating the child's legal status application is in process (e.g., a letter or receipt).

It is very important that parents add their adopted children to their MSP accounts as soon as possible to ensure they have an active Personal Health Number (PHN). Requests to add adopted children to their parents’ MSP accounts are processed retroactively with coverage effective on the placement date or the adoption finalization date. If both dates are provided, coverage will be provided on the earlier date.

Should an adoptive parent face a delay in submitting their child’s MSP enrolment (for example, choosing a name), the child may be provided temporary MSP coverage. Parents may contact the Ministry of Health at hlth.bsb@gov.bc.ca.