Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Health provides coverage for prescription drugs through the Saskatchewan Drug Plan. Residents with valid Saskatchewan Health benefits can apply for Drug Plan benefits that will help them pay for their hepatitis C medications. The costs of prescriptions vary depending on the type of benefits individuals receive.

The Drug Plan programs that can help pay for people’s prescription drugs include:

• Family Health Benefits
  Assists low-income families with children under the age of 18 by covering the costs of health services such as prescription drugs, dental fees and eye care.

• Income Supplements
  Assists people in Saskatchewan who receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the Seniors’ Income Plan (SIP) by paying a portion of the cost of prescription drugs.

• Supplementary Health Program
  Provides a range of health services and products to Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) recipients who get health benefits through the Department of Social Services.

• Special Support Program
  Assists people whose prescription drug costs are high in relation to their income. 

• Emergency Prescription Drug Assistance
  For residents who require immediate access to prescription drugs who cannot afford to pay for them.

• Saskatchewan Aids to Independent Living (SAIL)
  Covers the cost of prescription drugs for people who are part of the Paraplegia Program, Chronic End-Stage Renal Disease Program, Ostomy Program, Aids to the Blind Program or Cystic Fibrosis Program.

• Children’s Drug Program
  Partially subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs for all children 14 years of age and under in Saskatchewan. All children are automatically part of this program.

• Palliative Care Drug Plan Program
  Covers the total cost of prescription drugs for people who are in the late stages of a terminal illness.

• Seniors’ Drug Plan
  Partially subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs for people 65 and older who have low incomes and do not have another drug plan to pay for prescription medications.

Coverage for Hepatitis C Medications

The amount of coverage people can get when it comes to paying for their hepatitis C medications depends on an individual’s drug program. People can apply to have their hepatitis C medications covered if they receive health benefits from one of the Drug Plan programs listed above. Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) clients who receive health benefits through the Supplementary Health Benefits program will have their medications paid for by this program.

Given the high cost of hepatitis C treatment, people with hepatitis C may be interested in the Special Support Program, as this program is specifically designed to assist people whose income is compromised by the high cost of prescription drugs. 

Peg-interferon and ribavirin are included in the Saskatchewan Formulary, a list of drugs that are eligible for coverage. These hepatitis C medications require Exception Drug Status (EDS) before they can be covered. To apply for coverage for these EDS medications, people can ask their specialist to complete and submit a request form to the Drug Plan. The request will be reviewed against the criteria for coverage in order to determine if the treatment will be paid for by the Drug Program. If the request is approved, people will receive coverage for their hepatitis C medications for a period of up to 48 weeks, depending on their hepatitis C genotype. They can access these medications at the pharmacy as they would any other prescription drug.

If people require more information about the different drug plans and benefits in Saskatchewan, they can call the Drug Plan and Extended Benefits office at (306) 787-3420 in Regina or toll-free at 1-800-667-7581.

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 – Saskatchewan Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
2045 Broad Street, 4th Floor
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 3T7

Tel: (306) 780-8294
Toll-free: 1-800-667-3515