Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in Nova Scotia

 Nova Scotia Pharmacare helps eligible residents cover the costs of their prescription drugs. To apply for Pharmacare services, people must first be covered by Nova Scotia Medical Service Insurance (MSI). MSI is the government health insurance program that issues health cards to eligible residents and covers the cost of many necessary health services, such as medical, hospital, dental and optometry services.

There are five main Pharmacare programs in Nova Scotia:

• Department of Community Services—Pharmacare Benefits
• Family Pharmacare Program
• Seniors’ Pharmacare Program
• Drug Assistance for Cancer Patients
• Diabetes Assistance Program

Department of Community Services—Pharmacare Benefits

• Covers the cost of prescription drugs, including medications for hepatitis C, for Income Assistance clients, people with disabilities and children in the care of child welfare.

Family Pharmacare Program

• Helps families who have no drug coverage or whose prescription drug costs are high in relation to their income. Recipients have to pay an annual fee, which is capped at a certain percentage based on family income. 

Seniors’ Pharmacare Program

• Assists seniors by paying a portion of the cost of their prescription drugs and medical supplies, based on their income level.

Drug Assistance for Cancer Patients

• Helps people pay for certain cancer-related drugs if their gross family income is below a certain amount.

Diabetes Assistance Program

• For people under the age of 65 who need help paying for their diabetes medication and have no other drug coverage.

Coverage for Hepatitis C Medications

If people receive benefits from one of the following programs, they can apply to have their hepatitis C medications covered:

• Department of Community Services Pharmacare Program
• Family Pharmacare Program
• Seniors’ Pharmacare Program

Income Assistance clients and people who receive benefits through Services for Persons with Disabilities (SPD) will have their treatment covered by the Department of Community Services Pharmacare Program. 

Peg-interferon and ribavirin are included in the provincial drug formulary as drugs that are eligible for coverage. These hepatitis C medications require prior approval as Exception Status Drugs  before they will be covered by any of the Pharmacare programs listed above. 

To apply for coverage of exception status drugs, people can ask their specialist to complete the Standard Exception Drug Form and submit it to Pharmacare. The request will be reviewed against the criteria for coverage to determine if the medications will be paid for. To receive coverage for hepatitis C medications, a person must not have been previously treated for their chronic hepatitis C. 

If the request is approved, people will have their medications covered for up to one full course of treatment, usually 24 to 48 weeks. People will need to present a valid health card when accessing their medications at the pharmacy.

For more information about the different drug programs in Nova Scotia, people can contact the Nova Scotia Pharmacare Program at 1-800-544-6191.

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:

NIHB Atlantic Region Office
Non-Insured Health Benefits
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
Suite 1525, 15th Floor, Maritime Centre
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 3Y6                                                                                

Tel: (902) 426-2656
Toll-free 1-800-565-3294