Considering moving out of BC? Know before you go!

Did you know that public drug coverage varies across Canada? Who qualifies for public drug coverage, what drugs are eligible and how much is covered varies depending on the province or territory that you live in.

Drug Coverage in BC vs. other provinces

In BC, drug coverage is universal, which means that every resident has drug coverage. Coverage is based on income – the less a person makes, the more coverage they have access to. However, that is not the case across the country. For example, in Alberta, coverage is not universal, it is available to low-income residents and seniors, but not all Albertans.

In addition, each province has its own list of drugs that it will cover depending on evidence, budget and provincial needs. For BC-covered drugs, you can search the drug list on BC PharmaCare's website, which provides you information on how drugs get added to this list and also provides you the opportunity to provide your feedback into this process. There are also several one-minute videos on the BC PharmaCare website explaining the various aspects of drug coverage in BC, check them out!

Another unique drug program in BC is BC Cancer. BC Cancer provides cancer drug coverage for all BC residents. This program is different from BC PharmaCare in that there is no deductible that needs to be met, 100% of drug costs are covered. That is not the case across the country. For example, in Nova Scotia, cancer drug costs are paid for by the province for those who have an annual family income under $35,000 and do not have any other coverage available.

There are many more drug coverage differences between provinces. Here are some questions and helpful resources to consider before moving out of BC (and within Canada) and the potential impact it could have on your drug coverage.