Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in Québec

In Québec, the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan is the government insurance plan that offers basic prescription drug coverage to all Québecers who have no access to private group insurance.  The Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, often called the Public Plan, is administered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). To register for the Public Plan people must have a Québec Health Insurance Card.

The Public Plan is for people who are:

• Not eligible for a private prescription drug plan
• Aged 65 and over
• Recipients of last-resort financial assistance and other holders of a claim slip
• Children of persons who are insured by the Public Plan

To receive prescription drug benefits from the Public Plan, people have to pay an annual premium (sometimes called a deductible) based on their net income.  Certain individuals may be exempt from paying this fee if they:

• Receive financial assistance or have a claim slip from the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale
• Are 65 years of age or older and receive 94% to 100% Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
• Have a parent who is covered by the Public Plan and are either:
  •  under 18
  •  between 18-25 and full time students living with their parents and are not married

People who receive financial assistance, and their children who are under the age of 18, are automatically enrolled in the Public Plan and will therefore receive prescription drug coverage to help pay for their medications. 

To register for the Public Plan, people can either call the closest RAMQ office or visit during office hours to begin the application process.

If an individual’s application for the Public Plan is turned down, they have the right to challenge the decision by requesting a review.  To initiate the review process, people can fill out and send the Application for Review form directly to the Régie in either Québec or Montréal.

Coverage for Hepatitis C Medications

In Québec, peginterferon and ribavirin are among the drugs that are eligible for coverage under the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan. These hepatitis C medications are considered Exceptional Medications that require prior approval from the Régie before they will be covered by the Public Plan. People can ask their hepatitis C specialist to submit a request for coverage to the Régie on their behalf. The request will be reviewed to determine if the medications will be covered. Individuals and their specialists will receive a letter telling them whether or not the Régie will pay for their treatment drugs. If the request is approved, people will have their hepatitis C medications covered through the Public Plan once they have paid their contribution fee, (annual deductible and co-insurance fee based on net income). 

Financial assistance clients and people who hold a claim slip do not pay the contribution fee but do need to show either their claim slip or direct deposit notification to the Pharmacist so that they can receive their medications free of charge.

For more information about the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, people can visit the Régie website or call the department directly at (418) 646-4636 in Québec, (514) 864-3411 in Montréal, or toll-free anywhere else in the province at 1-800-561-9749.

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 – Québec Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
Guy-Favreau Complex, East Tower, Suite 216
200 René-Lévesque Boulevard West
Montreal, Quebec
H2Z 1X4

Toll-free: 1-877-483-1575