Treatment coverage in your region

Prescription Drug Programs in Alberta

In Alberta, you can get help paying for your prescription drugs. The government has a Prescription Drug Program to help you cover the cost of your hepatitis C medications.  You must have a health card from the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) to get prescription drug coverage.

There are three health plans that may be able to help you pay for your prescription drugs:

1. Non-Group Prescription Drug Coverage

• Pays for part of the cost of your prescription drugs if you're under the age of 65 and a resident of Alberta. You have to pay a monthly fee based on your income and family size so that you don't have to pay more than $25 for each of your prescriptions. If you have a low income, you may be able to pay a lower monthly fee.

2. Coverage for Seniors

• Covers some or all of the cost of your prescription drugs if you're 65 or older and a resident of Alberta.

3. Palliative Care Drug Coverage

• Pays for part of the cost of your prescription drugs if you're in the late stages of a terminal illness.

You can also get help paying for your prescription drugs if you receive one of the following:

Income Support

• Covers the cost of prescription drugs, including medications to treat hepatitis C.

Alberta Adult Health Benefit (AAHB)

• Pays for most prescription drugs, including medications to treat hepatitis C, if (a) you have a low income and (b) you're either pregnant or have high drug costs and (c) you don't get benefits from another drug program. AAHB is also for people who no longer receive Income Support or Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) but still need drug coverage. 

Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)

• Gives you health benefits if you're under 65 and are living with a disability that makes it hard to pay for your basic needs.

Alberta Child Health Benefit

• Pays for health benefits, including prescription drugs, for children of low-income families.

Rare Disease Drug Program

• Helps pay for prescription medications for Gaucher's disease, Fabry disease, MPS-I, Hunter disease or Pompe disease.

Provincewide Services

• Helps pay for some expensive drugs but not hepatitis C medications.

Getting My Hepatitis C Medications

The amount of help you can get with paying for your hepatitis C medications depends on what drug plan you have. If you get Income Support, you automatically get health benefits that will cover the cost of your treatment medications. You can talk to your case worker to find out how much help you can get.

In Alberta, hepatitis C medications are known as Special Authorization Benefits. This means that in order to get help paying for your medications, your doctor needs to fill out and send a request form to Alberta Blue Cross. This is the company that provides prescription drug coverage for the government of Alberta. Alberta Blue Cross will send a letter to you and your doctor telling you if your hepatitis C medications will be covered by your drug plan. Even if you're trying treatment for a second time, you may be able to get your meds paid for. You can talk to you doctor about this option.  

If you would like more information about health care or drug plans in Alberta, you can contact the Alberta Health Care Insurance Program (AHCIP) toll-free at 310-0000 then dial (780) 427-1432.

If you're a registered First Nations or recognized Inuit person, the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program may be able to help cover the cost of your hepatitis C medications.  You can contact NIHB by phone or mail at:

Non-Insured Health Benefits – Alberta Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
9700 Jasper Avenue, Suite 730
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 4C3

Tel: (780) 495-2694
Toll-free: 1-800-232-7301