Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in Yukon

The Government of Yukon’s Department of Health and Social Services offers various programs to help eligible residents pay for their prescription drugs. To be eligible for these programs, people need to be registered with the Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan.   

Programs in Yukon that cover the cost of prescription drugs, including hepatitis C medications, for eligible residents include:

• Pharmacare
  Pays for prescription drugs for Yukon residents aged 65 or older and their spouses aged 60 and over. 

• Chronic Disease Program
  Covers the cost of hepatitis C medications for eligible residents in Yukon. People must pay a $250 fee per year, up to a maximum of $500 per family per year. This fee may be reduced or waived depending on a person’s income and family size.

• Children’s Drug and Optical Program
  Assists low-income families cover the cost of prescription drugs for children under the age of 19.

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. NIHB is a federal program that provides eligible First Nations and Inuit people with coverage for many prescription drugs and health services.  People can contact NIHB by phone or mail at:

Non-Insured Health Benefits – Yukon Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
300 Main Street, Suite 100
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 2B5                                                                                                                     Toll-free: 1-867-667-3942

Coverage for Hepatitis C Medications

In Yukon, hepatitis specialists or nurses can apply, on their patient’s behalf, for drug benefits from the Chronic Disease Program. This program is designed to assist people with chronic diseases, including hepatitis C, by providing them with financial assistance to cover the cost of their medications. For Social Assistance recipients, the cost of hepatitis C medications is automatically covered by this program.

Peg-interferon and ribavirin are included in the Yukon drug formulary, a list of drugs that are eligible for coverage. These hepatitis C medications require Exception Drug Status before they will be covered by the Chronic Disease Program or Pharmacare. To apply for coverage for these medications, a person can ask their specialist to complete and submit a written application to either the Chronic Disease Program or Pharmacare. The application will be reviewed by the Formulary Working Group to determine if the medications will be covered. The applicant’s hepatitis C tests and the recommendations of the specialist will be considered. If the request is approved, the person will receive up to one full term of treatment, for 24 to 48 weeks.

If people would like more information about Pharmacare, the Chronic Disease Program or the Children’s Drug and Optical Program, they can call 1-867-667-5092.