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Treatment coverage in your region

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Prescription Drug Programs in New Brunswick

 The New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP) may be able to help you pay for your prescription drugs. If you want to apply for drug benefits, you need to have a valid Medicare card (health card). If you do not have a health card, you can apply for one through New Brunswick Medicare.

The NBPDP has 10 drug plans to help different groups of people pay for medications (there is no plan specifically for people who take medications for hepatitis C):

  • A (Seniors)—for people 65 years of age or older who get the Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) or have a low income
  • B (Cystic Fibrosis)—for people with cystic fibrosis or juvenile or infant sclerosis of the pancreas who don’t get health benefits from another plan
  • R (Organ Transplant)—for people who have received an organ or bone marrow transplant and need coverage for certain medications
  • U (HIV/AIDS)—for people with HIV/AIDS who need prescription medications
Getting My Hepatitis C Medications

The amount of help you can get to pay for your hepatitis C medications depends on which drug plan you have. If you receive Social Assistance, you already get coverage for medications through Plan F (Social Development) and you can request that this plan pay for your hepatitis C medications. You can talk to your case worker if you have questions about this process. Your case worker may need you to get a letter from your doctor to help you get coverage.

If you are under the age of 65, have a low income and high drug costs and do not qualify for Social Assistance, you may need to get coverage through your workplace or a private health insurance company.

If you have one of the NBPDP plans, you will need to ask your doctor to fill out a Special Authorization Request Form to see if your drug plan will pay for your medications. Your doctor will send the request form to the NBPDP’s Special Authorization Unit and they will decide if your medications will be covered. The NBPDP will send a letter to you and your doctor telling you if your hepatitis C medications will be paid for. If your application is approved, you will be able to get your medications at a pharmacy by showing your valid health card.

If you want more information about getting help to pay for your medications, you can talk to your doctor or call the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program at (506) 867-4515.

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 – Atlantic Region
First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
Suite 1525, 15th Floor, Maritime Centre
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 3Y6                                                                                                                                 Tel: (902) 426-2656
Toll-free: 1-800-565-3294

 
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.