Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in Manitoba

Manitoba Pharmacare offers prescription drug coverage to eligible residents. Pharmacare, administered by Manitoba Health, is “a drug benefit program for any Manitoban, regardless of age, whose income is seriously affected by high prescription drug costs.” Manitobans who receive Pharmacare must pay a deductible based on their annual income. Those who cannot afford to pay the deductible in one lump sum may be able to pay it in monthly installments.

To be eligible for Pharmacare, a person must meet all of the following criteria:

• be eligible for Manitoba Health coverage 
• have no prescription drug coverage through any provincial or federal drug program
• have no prescription drug coverage through a private health insurance program
• have prescription drug costs that exceed the Pharmacare deductible

People who qualify for Pharmacare may be eligible to receive coverage for their hepatitis C medications.

Coverage for Hepatitis C Medications

Once a person's application for Pharmacare has been approved, Pharmacare sends a letter confirming what the person's deductible will be. This is the amount the recipient will pay each year. The deductible is based on the person's level of income. Once a person has paid their deductible, Pharmacare covers the entire cost of eligible prescription drugs. The amount of coverage a person can receive for their hepatitis C medications depends on their deductible. 

Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) clients receive health benefits and prescription drug coverage that will pay for their hepatitis C medications. People may want to talk to their hepatitis specialists and EIA case workers about their coverage options and to get help applying for benefits.

In Manitoba, peg-interferon and ribavirin are among the drugs that are eligible for coverage under the provincial Exception Drug Status Program (EDS). These hepatitis C medications must be approved for coverage under the EDS Program before they can be covered by Pharmacare. People can ask their hepatitis C specialists to submit a request for coverage via phone, mail or fax to the EDS Program. The request will be reviewed to determine if the medications will be covered. Individuals and their specialists will receive a letter telling them whether EIA will pay for the drugs or not. If the request is approved, people will have their hepatitis C medications fully covered through Pharmacare once they have paid their annual deductible. 

For more information about Pharmacare or the EDS program, people can call the Provincial Drug Programs phone line at 1-800-297-8099.

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.  People can contact NIHB by phone or mail at:

Non-Insured Health Benefits – Manitoba Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
391 York Avenue, Suite 300
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 4W1
                                                                                                                       Tel: (204) 983-8886
Toll-free 1-800-665-8507