B.C. signs national pharmacare deal with Ottawa, promises to expand drug coverage

British Columbia has become the first province in Canada to sign a pharmacare agreement with the federal government that would help the province fund hormone replacement therapy and diabetes expenses.

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland says British Columbians will have easier access to diabetes medication under the plan — something key to making sure they can make healthy choices.

The two levels of government signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday, guaranteeing their commitment to improving access to essential medicines.

Holland says B.C.’s portion of the $1.5-billion national plan is estimated to be $195 million, and under the memorandum of understanding funding could begin by April once the legislation makes it through the senate.

“How many doctors do I talk to who have a patient in front of them who is diabetic, and they’re telling them what medication they need to take, what food they need to eat, and they’re saying, ‘why am I even bothering meeting with this patient?’ They don’t have the money for the medication. They don’t have the money for the food, and it means that they can’t follow that regime,” Holland asked.

He says the expansion will help alleviate the pressure for those patients.

The coverage was to be for birth control and diabetes drugs and supplies, but B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix says oral contraceptives are already covered under a provincial program, so that share will be used to cover hormone therapy for women.

Dix says about 150,000 British Columbians get diabetes medications, and it’s estimated covering hormone replacement therapy will benefit another tens of thousands.

“By making it free by giving access and by extending access to that therapy here in British Columbia will benefit in the course of an average year, at least 40,000 women saving them $400.00 or more a year on average,” said Dix.

Holland says he wants to sign agreements with provinces and territories laying out the framework of the pharmacare plan while the Senate is still examining the bill so medication can get to people as quickly as possible once it becomes law.

In April 2023, B.C. became the first jurisdiction in Canada to provide free birth control.