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Treatment coverage in your region

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Prescription Drug Programs in British Columbia

In British Columbia, a program called PharmaCare may be able to help you cover the cost of your prescription drugs. This program has many different plans to help people with different types of health care needs.  To apply for coverage from PharmaCare you need to be registered with the Medical Services Plan (MSP) so you get a health card.  Your health card has a number that is needed to get help from PharmaCare.

There are seven main PharmaCare plans in British Columbia: 

1) Fair PharmaCare

  • Helps you pay for prescription drugs based on how much money  your family makes every year.

2) Plan B

  • Pays for prescription drugs if you’re a permanent resident of a licensed long-term care facility.

3) Plan C

  •  Pays for prescription drugs if you receive Income Assistance.

4) Plan D

  • Pays for digestive enzymes if you have cystic fibrosis and you’re registered with a provincial cystic fibrosis clinic.

5) Plan F

  • Provides care for severely handicapped children.

6) Plan G

  • Helps you pay for your prescription drugs if you’re registered with a mental health service centre and you need financial help.

7) BC Palliative Care Benefits Program

  • Pays for your medications if you’re in palliative care.
Getting My Hepatitis C Medications

If you have prescription drug coverage from one of the plans listed above, you can apply to have your plan pay for your hepatitis C treatment medications.  If you receive Income Assistance, you are already part of Plan C and you will have your medications covered through this plan. 

No matter what drug plan you have, you will need to get your hepatitis C medications approved before they can be covered by your drug plan. To do this, you can ask your doctor to fill in a Special Authority Request Form and send it to PharmaCare.  PharmaCare will send a letter to you and your doctor telling you if you will get help paying for your medications. If your application is approved, you can get your medications at the pharmacy the same way you get your other prescription drugs.

You can apply for PharmaCare online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or you can call (604) 683-7151 from Vancouver or toll-free 1-800-663-7100 in the rest of BC for more information.

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 visit the NIHB website or be in touch by phone or mail at:

Non-Insured Health Benefits – British Columbia Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
757 West Hastings Street, Suite 540
Vancouver, BC
V6C 3E6

Tel: (604) 666-3331
Toll-free: 1-800-317-7878    

Published 2010.

                                            

 
Costs and Coverage for Treatment in Canada  

Some national programs in Canada are available to help people with drug costs.

Peg-Care & Pegassist

Two of the pharmaceutical companies that make Hep C medications have programs to help people complete treatment. Merck has the Peg-Care program for people taking peg-interferon alpha-2b (known as Pegetron). Hoffman-La Roche has the Pegassist program for people taking peg-interferon alpha-2a (known as Pegasys).

These programs both have 24-hour phone support for people taking Hep C treatment; part of this support is helping people access the funding necessary to cover treatment costs. They can inform you about local, provincial and federal government programs for accessing treatment. They can also help you find ways to access and use public funding or private medical insurance, including the appeals process if you have a supportive doctor. If you are eligible, they can even help cover the insurance company co-pay fee, provincial or territorial plan's deductible and other expenses, depending on your specific situation.

For more information, contact:

 Pegassist Program

 1-877-PEGASYS (1-877-734-2797)

 Peg-Care Program

 1-866-872-5773

Revised 2011.