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Free psychiatric medication for low income in BC

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    Free psychiatric medication for low income in BC

    If you live in BC and require psychiatric medication and are living on "low income", there is a plan which allows you to get your medications for free (if they are are on "the list", which most of the common ones are). It took my pdoc quite a few years to realize that I qualified for this and get me on the plan so I thought I'd put the information out there for those of you who live in BC, qualify and don't know it!!

    No-Charge Psychiatric Medication Plan (Plan G)

    The No-Charge Psychiatric Medication Plan (Plan G) is available to individuals of any age who are registered with a mental health service centre and who demonstrate clinical and financial need. The plan provides coverage of certain psychiatric medications.

    Individual patient eligibility is determined by the patient's physician and the local mental health service centre. Registration is required.

    The drugs eligible for coverage under the No-Charge Psychiatric Medication Plan are listed in the Plan G Formulary by both brand and generic name. Drugs in the formulary identified as "Limited Coverage" require prior Special Authority approval from PharmaCare. For these medications, the patient's physician must submit a Special Authority Request to PharmaCare.

    For more information on the plan, please contact your local mental health service centre, listed in the telephone directory's blue pages under "Health Authorities" or, in Vancouver and Richmond, contact the Greater Vancouver Mental Health Service Society. Physicians' offices can download the Application for Psychiatric Medication Coverage (HLTH 3497) (PDF ) or request pre-printed copies from the local mental health service centre.


    #2
    Good info for those living in BC. Thanks for sharing it with us.
    AJ

    Humans punish themselves endlessly
    for not being what they believe they should be.
    -Don Miguel Ruiz-

    Comment


      #3
      Thank you for the information Villa!

      Here in Ontario we have a drug plan called Trillium. It is not limited to psychiatric medication but there is a deductible that is based on your income. There is also ODSP but your income has to be very low to qualify for that program.
      Woody

      Comment


        #4
        Your correct about Trillium, Woody. It actually has no upper income limit. The deductible varies whether you are mrd etc but in general runs around 4-5% of your income. Thus a person with $20,000 income would have a dectuctible of around 800-1000. Payable quarterly.( 200-250)

        It's mostly paid for by revenue from lotteries and casino's, so everybody in Ontario keep gambling. Take Care. paul m
        "Alone we can do so little;
        Together we can do so much"
        Helen Keller

        Comment


          #5
          We have something similar to Trillium as well. It's called Fair Pharmacare. Instead of a deductible it has a limit of how much you pay for medication per year, based on your income. If you can, you just pay for all your meds during the first part of the year until you hit your limit, then they become free. If you can't do that, you can pay in monthly installments all year. It covers the full range of medications. The nice thing about the plan that I'm on is that it is free right from the beginning - no deductible, no limit. I guess the idea (and an actual good one at that!) is to remove any financial barriers that people might have to taking their medications regularly. One less thing to worry about.

          The funny thing for me is that my pharmacy gives me "superbucks" when I fill my prescriptions and they are based on the worth of the prescription, not on what I pay. So I actually make money by taking my meds.

          Comment


            #6
            Hello Villa. That sounds like a great plan. I should move to B.C. (now that you finally have sunshine. Between all my and my spouses different ailments we take a lot of prescriptions every mth, maybe we could have a holiday on the super bucks.

            Thx for printing all of the information on the plan. Ontario's is close but it can be expensive for a low income person. We have to pay ours quarterly, so my son has to come up with $200 every 3 mths which is a hardship. Next time I am bugging my local memeber of provincial parliment I will add this to his list. He is always saying how Ontario's Trillium plan is the best. Take Care. paul m
            "Alone we can do so little;
            Together we can do so much"
            Helen Keller

            Comment


              #7
              paid medication in Alberta

              Does anyone out there know how one goes about paying for medication in Alberta, if they don't have coverage through their work?

              Comment


                #8
                Do you mean what type of assistance there is for those with low income?
                Or what private plans are available?

                There are several types of coverage for those with low income, depending on circumstances. Most of those can be set up thru a social worker.

                There's also a non group Blue Cross plan thru Alberta Health Care which is probably one of the better plans out there for people with no coverage thru work.

                As far as health care coverage for doctors visits, lab tests, hospital stays etc, there was a monthly premium based on income. Recently the Alberta Health care premiums were dropped by the gov't. (I'm sure we'll pay for it somewhere
                Last edited by AJ; August 4, 2009, 12:33 AM.
                AJ

                Humans punish themselves endlessly
                for not being what they believe they should be.
                -Don Miguel Ruiz-

                Comment


                  #9
                  OTOH, your health care premiums in Ontario are paid by the employers for everyone. Here in BC we pay them individually and it's up to each employer whether or not they want to pay/reimburse your premium for you as a benefit. Because of where my income falls on their premium assistance scale, I pay just over $20 a month for "MSP" (the BC equivalent of OHIP). In my case, my employer does reimburse me for this.

                  That said, I get WAY WAY more than $20 worth of care from the system every month since visits to the pdoc are covered by our health care plan.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Hello Edmbigrl. I do not know much about alberta's plan. I found this in their gov'ts web-site.

                    https://www.health.alberta.ca/AHICP/...n-program.html I belive they have a subsidy program as well for low income Albertians. It looks like out can find out from that site.

                    Someone who lives there may be able to help you better. Reading government sites always makes my eyes water. Not because they are long, but because I am crying over all of the trivia and B.S. that takes up so much space before they get to their point .

                    Anyways if you do not find what you need or if I have misprinted the website, just holler and I will have another look. Take Care. paul m p...n should be prescription
                    Last edited by paul m; August 4, 2009, 12:52 AM.
                    "Alone we can do so little;
                    Together we can do so much"
                    Helen Keller

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Sorry AJ. I did not see your reply before I printed mine. Take Care. paul m
                      "Alone we can do so little;
                      Together we can do so much"
                      Helen Keller

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Not to worry Paul. The more information the better.
                        AJ

                        Humans punish themselves endlessly
                        for not being what they believe they should be.
                        -Don Miguel Ruiz-

                        Comment


                          #13
                          This might take some more work and research, but some drug manufactures if you ask them nicely will sometimes give the medication that you need.
                          Woody

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Doctors often get samples of new drugs. They can also call the drug rep. to ask for more when their supply is gone. There is limit for how long the manufacturers provide samples, but it's worth while asking your doc about it.
                            AJ

                            Humans punish themselves endlessly
                            for not being what they believe they should be.
                            -Don Miguel Ruiz-

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Woody is correct. In Ontario some drug companies will provide free meds through your doctor if you are in a bind and have applied for the trillium (low cost province paid for drugs) plan and are just waiting for approval. If you have not or if you just want to avoid the deductible, you are out of luck.

                              Just as a note, anybody in Ontario can apply for the trillium drug plan, even if there is no current need. This might be important if you have no benefit plan and you suddenly get stuck with large drug bills. There is no cost to apply, or belong to it, nor any need to involve your doc. You pay only as you use it.

                              As well in Ontario even if you make too much to qualify for social benefits payments, you still may be eligible for the medical part of social assitance, in which case your meds are all but free. Take Care. paul m
                              "Alone we can do so little;
                              Together we can do so much"
                              Helen Keller

                              Comment

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