The federal government’s Pharmacare Act (Bill C-64) will lay the foundations for a national drug plan that covers everyone and brings down out-of-control drug prices.
Big Pharma has taken advantage of our fragmented system of drug coverage, hiking prices on life-saving medications and raking in huge profits. Canadians currently pay the second-highest drug prices in the world, behind only the U.S. National pharmacare can change this.
Health care is a right, and that right should include prescription drugs. You should get your medications with your health card – not your credit card! The Pharmacare Act is key a step towards that.
Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the program:
Frequently asked questions
AM I ELIGIBLE FOR COVERAGE?
If you have a provincial health card, you are eligible for coverage under the national pharmacare program. There are no income cut-offs, age requirements, or other restrictions on who can benefit from the program. Like Medicare, coverage for pharmacare is universal.
WHAT DRUGS WILL BE COVERED?
The national drug plan will initially cover contraceptives and diabetes drugs and devices. Within a year, the pharmacare program will expand to cover a larger list of prescription drugs, so-called “essential medicines.”
HOW MUCH WILL I HAVE TO PAY?
Nothing. Like other publicly-insured health services, you’ll get prescription medicines with your provincial health card, not your credit card. There will be no out-of-pocket costs for drugs covered by the national drug plan.
I HAVE DRUG COVERAGE THROUGH MY JOB; WHAT WILL CHANGE FOR ME?
The national drug plan will save money and improve access to medications for all Canadians – including those with private drug coverage.
While most private drug plans cover only 70% or 80% of a drug’s price, the national drug plan will cover 100% of the cost of prescription drugs listed. For drugs not yet covered by national pharmacare, your private drug coverage will remain the same.
I HAVE DRUG COVERAGE THROUGH AN EXISTING PROVINCIAL PROGRAM; WHAT WILL CHANGE FOR ME?
Existing provincial drug plans often charge copayments, deductibles and other fees, which means people covered by these programs can still find themselves paying quite a lot at the pharmacy check-out counter.
National pharmacare will eliminate these fees. You’ll only need your health card to access medicines covered by the program. For people living with diabetes or unable to afford contraceptives, this will be life changing.
WILL I LOSE MY EXISTING DRUG COVERAGE?
No. The Pharmacare Act does not outlaw or in any way restrict private drug coverage.
What the Pharmacare Act will do is make a growing list of medications accessible to all Canadians, free of charge. Like federal health transfers, the pharmacare program will provide federal funding to level up provinces’ and territories’ public drug plans.
WHEN WILL MY COVERAGE START?
As early as April 2025, if your province agrees to join the program.
BC has already signed an initial agreement with the federal government, while Manitoba, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador have also said they will join. Alberta and Quebec have said they are opposed, while other provinces and territories are undecided. Check out the map we have developed here to learn more about where your province stands on pharmacare.
LIST OF MEDICATIONS COVERED BY NATIONAL PHARMACARE (Bill C-64)
- Contraceptives: The full list of contraceptives covered by national pharmacare can be
- Diabetes drugs: The full list of diabetes drugs covered by national pharmacare can be
- Diabetes devices: The federal government has said it will set up a separate fund to support access to diabetes devices and supplies like continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and test strips. These supplies can cost people with diabetes thousands of dollars every year. More details about this fund are expected after discussions between federal and provincial governments.
Phase 2 (could start as early as October 2025)
- Essential medicines: The federal government hasn’t released the list of medicines to be covered, but it will likely include drugs like blood pressure medications, antibiotics, pain relievers, antidepressants, and HIV-AIDS medications, in addition to diabetes drugs and contraceptives. This will expand national pharmacare to cover about half of all prescriptions.
An example of an essential medicines list developed for Canada can be
We know that Big Pharma and the insurance industry are lobbying provinces to oppose national pharmacare.
That’s why the fight for pharmacare isn’t over yet. We still need you to tell your premier to stop playing politics with our health and sign an agreement for pharmacare with the federal government.
We’ve got everything you need to send a letter to your premier right here:
BC has already signed an initial agreement with the federal government, while Manitoba, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador have also said they will join. Alberta and Quebec have said they are opposed, while other provinces and territories are undecided.
Click here to see the map we have developed and learn more about where your province stands on pharmacare.
