Why has PharmaCare changed?
PharmaCare has changed to ensure British Columbians who need help paying for their prescription drugs get the financial assistance they need. Under the Fair PharmaCare plan, the lower your income, the more assistance government will provide toward your prescription drug costs. In the past, many low-income earners paid a higher portion of their prescription drug costs than those with higher incomes. Under the new approach, up to 280,000 BC families - many of them seniors - are paying less than previously.
The inequity of the past has contributed to growing pressure on PharmaCare. In fact, PharmaCare now represents the fastest growing part of BC's health care budget. Over the last decade, PharmaCare costs have jumped by 147 per cent and are projected to grow by 487 per cent over the next two decades. Change was necessary to sustain PharmaCare for the future and ensure financial assistance continues to be available to people who need help paying for their prescription drugs.
What has changed under B.C.'s Fair PharmaCare plan?
The major PharmaCare plans - the universal plan and the seniors' plan - have been combined into one new plan. The new plan assists families in paying for eligible prescription drugs based on their net income. This means the lower your family income, the more assistance the government will provide towards your prescription drug costs.
To help protect those born in 1939 or earlier, enhanced Fair PharmaCare assistance is available.
What has not changed under the new plan?
In addition to Fair PharmaCare, British Columbians continue to have access to the same coverage under the following plans:
- Residents of licensed long-term care facilities
- People receiving financial assistance through the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance
- Individuals registered with a provincial Cystic Fibrosis Clinic*
- Children eligible for medical or full financial assistance through the At Home Program of the Ministry of Children and Family Development
- Clients eligible for financial assistance through mental health centres *
- Patients eligible for financial assistance under the Palliative Care Drug Plan *
* You should register for additional financial assistance under PharmaCare for your other prescription drugs not included in these plans.
In addition, the changes do not affect drugs provided through the BC Cancer Agency, the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, the BC Renal Agency or the BC Transplant Society.
Last Revised:
June 21, 2006
