B.C. leads Canada in lack of prescription coverage, study finds

With Canada still without a universal pharmacare program, a new study is showing just how many people are without coverage across the country.

According to Statistics Canada, B.C. leads when it comes to those without insurance for medication.

Twenty-six-per-cent of British Columbians reported having no prescription coverage in 2021, compared to 14 per cent of people in Nova Scotia — which had the lowest rate — who said the same.

The agency points out that drug plans offered by provincial governments “can vary greatly” when it comes to eligibility, affordability, and in terms of what drugs are covered.

Meanwhile, 33 per cent of B.C. seniors reported having no insurance for medication, compared to just nine per cent of seniors in Alberta in the same situation.

Related articles: 

• B.C. pharmacists welcome expanded prescription powers

• Federal budget 2022: Focus on housing amid affordability challenges

Overall, the study found that in 2021, 21 per cent of adults in Canada did not have any prescription insurance. The result was people sometimes skipping doses or even delaying taking medication because they couldn’t afford the drugs or were paying far more out of pocket.

Statistics Canada says 17 per cent of people without coverage reported skipping or delaying prescriptions because of the cost last year. That figure is 2.5 times higher than the percentage of people with insurance for medication who said the same.

The national study looked at medication access during the pandemic and potential inequities in accessing medication in Canada.

The study also notes that seniors were more likely to report not having prescription insurance.