British Columbia’s low-income earners saw their prescription-drug deductibles or co-payments eliminated or reduced on Jan. 1.
“It is happening,” said B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix in a press conference in Vancouver this morning.
“These are the first ever changes to Fair PharmaCare deductibles and co-payments since the program was created 15 years ago.”
The government is investing $105 million over three years to deliver on its commitment last February to make changes to Fair PharmaCare, which covers hundreds of drugs. “We have one of the most extensive plans in the country,” said Dix.
The changes will affect about 240,000 families, according to the health ministry.
“No one should have to make the difficult decision between their family’s health and putting food on the table,” said Dix. “We know that for many working households, needed prescriptions were going unfilled too often because Fair PharmaCare deductibles were too high.”
Ministry of Health research has shown a correlation between low income levels, deductibles and decreased drug spending, suggesting individuals and families will forgo filling prescriptions because of the cost.
People earning less than $30,000 annually no longer pay any deductibles for medication.
In February, the health minister said people with an income of $15,000 have paid deductibles of $300 a year, and those earning up to $30,000 have paid $600 a year before Fair PharmaCare would start to provide coverage assistance.
Families earning between $30,000 and $45,000 in net annual income will also benefit, as deductibles and co-payments in this income category have now been lowered.
It’s “a significant change” for a major priority for the NDP government, said Dix in Vancouver.
