BC PharmaCare policies
Last updated on April 30, 2026This page has information about BC PharmaCare policies.
On this page
- What to know
- Maximum amount
- Dispensing fees
- Full Payment Policy
- Maximum days' supply
- Early fills of medication
- Travel supply
- Trial prescriptions
- Patient support programs
What to know
The policies explained on this page apply to all PharmaCare plans. In some cases, a plan's rules limit how much PharmaCare pays. In other cases, general coverage policies may limit how much PharmaCare pays.
For more information about PharmaCare policies, refer to the PharmaCare Policy Manual and the Prosthetic and Orthotic Manual.
Maximum amount
PharmaCare sets a maximum amount that it will pay for each drug and device it covers. You can find this maximum amount by looking up a drug or device in the Formulary Search. If you are registered in Fair PharmaCare, only PharmaCare’s maximum amount will count towards your deductible.
Pharmacies charge different amounts for drugs and devices. If your pharmacy charges more than the amount PharmaCare will pay, you pay the additional cost (unless the Full Payment Policy applies). You may want to compare costs and services before you fill a prescription.
Dispensing fees
Pharmacies charge a dispensing fee for each prescription. The maximum amount PharmaCare will pay a pharmacy to dispense a prescription is currently $11. If you are registered in Fair PharmaCare, no more than $11 of each dispensing fee will count towards your deductible. Not all pharmacies charge the same amount for dispensing fees. If a pharmacy charges more than $11, you pay the additional cost (unless the Full Payment Policy applies). You may want to compare costs and services before you fill a prescription.
Full Payment Policy
Under the Full Payment Policy, pharmacies are not permitted to charge any amount directly to clients who are receiving full PharmaCare coverage for a full benefit.
Individuals receiving full PharmaCare coverage are those covered under PharmaCare plans B, C, D, F, G, M, NP, P, W, Z, and those that have reached their Fair PharmaCare family maximum.
If a pharmacy mistakenly charges you when the Full Payment Policy applies, they must refund you.
If you are covered under more than one PharmaCare plan, only some of your drugs may be subject to the Full Payment Policy.
Example: Cheya is covered under Fair PharmaCare and the Psychiatric Medication Plan (Plan G). Cheya has two prescriptions to fill:
- A mental health medication covered under Plan G
- A skin ointment covered under Fair PharmaCare
Plan G covers 100 percent of the eligible costs of the mental health medication, and the Full Payment Policy applies. Cheya will not be charged any additional amount for the drug. Cheya's family has met their Fair PharmaCare deductible, but not the family maximum. PharmaCare will pay 70 percent of the eligible ointment costs. The Full Payment Policy will not apply. Cheya will have to pay the amount PharmaCare does not cover (30 percent) and any amount the pharmacy charges in addition to that.
Maximum days' supply
PharmaCare covers a maximum 30-day supply for:
- Short-term drug prescriptions, including antibiotics, sleeping pills and barbiturates. Some of these medications are addictive or become ineffective if used over a long period of time
- First-time maintenance drug prescriptions, including for chronic conditions such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease
When you refill a prescription for a drug intended for longer-term use, PharmaCare covers a 100-day supply. Exemptions to this policy can apply to residents of rural or remote areas without a pharmacy nearby.
Early fills of medication
If you fill a prescription too early and still have more than 14 days' supply of your drug, PharmaCare will not cover the cost, except in certain circumstances. This prevents waste in case your treatment is discontinued, and reduces the risk associated with having excess medication on hand.
Travel supply
As an exception to the Days' Supply Policy, PharmaCare will cover a prescription earlier if you need a supply for travel outside B.C., up to a maximum. Once every six months (180 days), if you are travelling out of province, you can top up your existing prescription(s) to PharmaCare's maximum days’ supply. Under the Travel Supply Policy:
- For a long-term use drug, you can be covered for up to a 100-day supply
- For a short-term use drug, you can be covered for up to a 30-day supply
For your travel supply to be eligible for PharmaCare coverage, you must complete and sign a Travel Declaration form (supplied by your pharmacy) on the date your prescription is filled.
Trial prescriptions
The Trial Prescription Program encourages pharmacies to dispense small amounts (10 to 14 days’ supply) of specific, expensive medications that have a high rate of side effects. This prevents medication waste if you do not tolerate the drug well.
PharmaCare covers the initial dispensing fee for the trial quantity, up to the maximum fee of $11.00. You pay the remaining dispensing fee. The amount you pay for the drug depends on your PharmaCare plan. If you fill the remainder of the prescription, you pay only your portion of the remaining drug cost and the dispensing fee, according to your PharmaCare plan rules.
- See Trial Prescription Program for the list of eligible drugs
BC PharmaCare and patient support programs
As a public program, PharmaCare coverage is not tied to participation in a patient support program run by a drug manufacturer. You do not have to enrol in a private patient support program to be eligible for PharmaCare coverage.
Any community pharmacy can help you get your covered prescriptions filled quickly. You do not need to communicate with either a patient support program or drug manufacturer to get your prescriptions filled.
Pharmacies can give injections of most drugs and vaccines, adapt and renew prescriptions, communicate with your prescriber, help you understand your medications, process your PharmaCare coverage, and more.
For one in 10 prescription drugs sold in Canada, the drug manufacturer offers a patient support program. The programs offer some supports, such as patient education, for using a particular brand of drug. To enrol in a patient support program, patients are usually required to provide personal information, including medical information, which the company will share with others. If you are considering enrolling in a program, read the agreement carefully, including details about information that will be collected and who it will be shared with. PharmaCare coverage is not affected if a beneficiary voluntarily chooses to participate in a patient support program.
Pharmacists are licensed health care providers. They are bound by the same confidentiality rules as a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Your health information and conversations are private and confidential. View Pharmacy Services in B.C. to learn how B.C. community pharmacies can help you.
