MSP Direct

Last updated on December 16, 2022

MSP Direct has been upgraded with technology and design updates to reflect the current Ministry of Health standards. Group administrators can continue to use the same MSP Direct transactions they do today. For more information on the new MSP Direct please visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/mspdirectupgrade2022

MSP Direct is an online business service, authorized by the Ministry of Health, that allows group plan administrators to do a number of adjustments to their group members' account. Administrators are able to add and remove group members and their dependents from MSP group accounts online. Administrators can also quickly retrieve and update group member's or dependent's information.

Purpose of Service

MSP group administrators are able to update MSP accounts online, for example:

  • Add and remove group members and their spouse and child(ren), if applicable, from their MSP group accounts
  • Retrieve and update the MSP addresses of their group members
  • Confirm that the Personal Health Number (PHN) that they have for a person is correct
  • Reduce processing times to update group members benefits
  • Provide one point for maintenance of MSP group accounts

Prerequisites for Service

To qualify and register for this service:

  1. Use one of these web browsers: latest version of Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
  2. Access site from within Canada
    • Due to changes in B.C. legislation, which were in response to the US Patriot Act, we are prohibited from releasing personal information outside of Canada. Therefore, we are unable to set up any new clients outside of Canada with access to MSP Direct.
  3. Register for MSP coverage maintenance (MSP Direct) online.
  4. Complete and sign Confidentiality Undertaking (PDF, 606KB).
  5. Obtain one of the required government credentials as outlined below.

Government Credentials

Your Profile

Supported ID

Health Authorities and health care providers or organizations who deliver health services are able to search for clients' Personal Health Numbers (PHN), confirm client eligibility for publicly funded health care, update person demographics, and assign PHNs, where required.

  • Health Authority ID
  • IDIR

IDIR users work for the B.C. government. Contractors and others, who work for BC Government but who aren't employees.

  • IDIR

B.C. residents who have a valid BC Services Card.

  • BC Services Card

Individual representing a business or organization, registered in BC.

  • Business BCeID

Get Credentials and Find Support

Please contact the issuing agency to request access credentials.

Business BCeID

Health Authority credentials

  • All users within Health Authorities will use their existing Active Directory credentials.
  • When accessing the new MSP Direct, users should be granted access immediately.
  • Support requests should be sent to the existing internal help desk contacts.

IDIR

  • Some government users may log in using existing IDIR credentials. For assistance with IDIR credentials, please contact existing internal government help desk contacts.

BC Services Card

Business Services

Access to the business services requires Ministry of Health approval and a signed Data Access Agreement (DAA) or Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the organization and the ministry.

This following business services may be available for authorized organizations, healthcare providers and MSP Group Plan Administrators. The business services available are based on the administrative approval.

Business Service

Purpose

PHN Inquiry 

Confirm that an individual’s Personal Health Number (PHN) is correct and that they are enrolled in MSP. Up to 10 PHN’s can be verified at one time.

PHN Lookup 

Find PHN of group members from their MSP group and contract numbers.

Add Group Member 

Add new group member and group member's spouse and child(ren) if applicable, to a MSP group account

Add Group Member Dependent 

Add spouse or child to an existing group member 's MSP group account

Add Study Permit Holder

Add international students holding valid study permits

Cancel Group Member  Cancel group members from the MSP group account
Cancel Group Member's Dependent  Add spouse or child to an existing group member 's MSP group account
Get Contract Periods  Allows the group administrator to confirm details of a MSP contract such as start and end dates on the employer's MSP Group Account and which dependents are covered
Reinstate Cancelled Group Coverage Remove a cancellation date and leave MSP group coverage intact
Renew Cancelled Group Coverage Remove a cancellation date and leave MSP group coverage intact
Update Group Members Number and/or Department Number  Update group members number or department
Get Group Members Contract Address  Allows the group administrator to retrieve the MSP addresses of their group members in order to verify that they are current and correct
Update Group Members Contract Address Update the home or mailing address, and/or telephone number of a group member's MSP account

For all other personal information changes (e.g., name changes), please use a Group Change Request form.

Registering for and maintaining MSP Direct Access

New Organization

Existing Organization

Existing organizations can use the following Maintenance Form to:

  • Add/Delete/Edit MSP Users
  • Add/Delete/Edit MSP Groups
  • Changes to an Organization
  • Changes to the Access Administrator
  • Changes to the Signing Authority

Roles and Responsibilities

To protect the security and confidentiality of client information, the Ministry of Health requires that any organization registering for MSP Direct must designate individuals with appropriate authority to be responsible for user access. A description of each of the roles follows:

Signing Authority 

The person who has the authority to sign any legal document and binds the organization to the terms and conditions of the documents

Access Administrator

The person who will be the primary contact within the organization for all questions and concerns about user access.  They are responsible for registering users, assigning and cancelling access permissions. They also have same access to MSP Direct as an MSP User

MSP User 

The person(s) who will be accessing MSP Direct on behalf of the organization

Support

For further information or support about MSP Direct business services, please contact:

Email: HLTH.HnetConnection@gov.bc.ca

Contact information

If you have questions about using MSP Direct, contact Health Insurance BC.

Mailing
Health Insurance BC PO Box 9140 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, B.C. V8W 9E5