Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in British Columbia

British Columbia offers its residents a variety of comprehensive drug plans through PharmaCare. PharmaCare provides financial assistance to residents for eligible prescription drugs and medical supplies to ensure that people have access to the drugs they need.  Residents must be actively registered with the Medical Services Plan (MSP) in order to apply for benefits through any PharmaCare plan.

There are seven main PharmaCare plans in British Columbia: 

1) Fair PharmaCare

• Provides financial assistance for eligible prescription drugs, including Hep C medications, to BC families based on their net income.

2) Plan B

• Covers the full cost of eligible prescription drugs for permanent residents of licensed long-term care facilities.                                                                                  

3) Plan C

• Provides full coverage of eligible prescription drugs, including Hep C medications, for BC residents receiving Income Assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development

4) Plan D

• Provides free digestive enzymes to individuals with cystic fibrosis who are registered with a provincial cystic fibrosis clinic.                                                                                            

5) Plan F

• Provides community-based, family-style care for severely handicapped children.
  
  

6) Plan G

• Provides health benefits to individuals who are registered with a mental health service centre and who demonstrate clinical and financial need.

7) BC Palliative Care Benefits Program

• Provides coverage of medications used in palliative care.

To apply for PharmaCare, people can either register online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or can call (604) 683-7151 from Vancouver or toll-free 1-800-663-7100 in the rest of BC for more information.

Coverage for Hepatitis C Medications

The amount of coverage people can receive for their hepatitis C medications varies depending on the PharmaCare plan for which they are eligible.  People who receive Income Assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development automatically receive health benefits and coverage for prescription drugs through Plan C.

Hepatitis C treatment medications (peg-interferon and ribavirin) are among the many drugs that are included in the Limited Drug Coverage Program List that are eligible for coverage by PharmaCare.  These hepatitis C medications require prior approval before they can be covered by the program. To apply for approval people can request that their specialist complete and submit the Ribavirin and Pegylated Interferon Special Authority Request Form and send it to PharmaCare for review.  The request must be accompanied by lab tests confirming a positive diagnosis for a patient who has an elevated ALT level resulting from chronic hepatitis C and who is treatment naïve.  If the request is approved, coverage will be provided for an initial period of 14-24 weeks, depending on the individual’s genotype, and can be renewed by the specialist upon request depending on treatment response and the patient’s genotype.  The amount of coverage provided for these medications is based on an individual’s regular PharmaCare plan rules, including the deductible requirement.

Registered First Nations and recognized Inuit people may be able to access coverage for their hepatitis C medications through the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program.  For more information, people can visit the NIHB website or be in touch by phone or mail at:

Non-Insured Health Benefits – British Columbia Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
757 West Hastings Street, Suite 540
Vancouver, BC
V6C 3E6

Tel: (604) 666-3331
Toll-free: 1-800-317-7878