Prescription contraceptives covered by PharmaCare
Last updated: October 27, 2022
BC PharmaCare helps pay for some contraceptive drugs and devices (i.e. birth control).
On this page: About contraceptive coverage | List of covered contraceptives | Medical abortion | Items that are not covered | Resources
About contraceptive coverage
If you are registered for Plan W (First Nations Health Benefits) or Plan C (Income Assistance), PharmaCare will pay the full cost of many products.
If you are registered for Fair PharmaCare, coverage depends on your annual deductible and family maximum. B.C. residents are strongly encouraged to register for Fair PharmaCare. There is no cost. Fair PharmaCare coverage is based on your annual income. The less you make, the more help PharmaCare provides.
Birth control can be used for many reasons, including for hormonal regulation. PharmaCare coverage is provided based on the product, not the reason for the prescription (see list of covered products).
Note: There is currently a ministerial mandate (PDF, 216KB) to make prescription contraception fully covered for anyone in B.C. Work towards this goal is in progress; information on what PharmaCare currently covers is provided below.
For abortion coverage, see medical abortion or surgical abortion.
Depending on your PharmaCare plan, PharmaCare may cover the contraceptive products listed below.
It should be noted these products do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) or other sexually transmitted infections.
Notes:
- When available, PharmaCare coverage is focused on generic drugs, which are as safe and effective as brand-name products. If a generic drug is covered, PharmaCare will usually only cover the cost of the equivalent brand-name drug up to the cost of the generic product. In other words, PharmaCare helps more with the cost of generic products. Ask your prescriber or your pharmacist if a generic version is available.
- Different pharmacies charge different amounts for drugs and dispensing fees. You may want to compare prices.
Product | Generic drug and strength | Contraceptive type | PharmaCare plan | DIN/PIN |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alesse 21 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg levonorgestrel 0.1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2236974 |
Alesse 28 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg levonorgestrel 0.1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2236975 |
Alysena 21 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg levonorgestrel 0.1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2387875 |
Alysena 28 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg levonorgestrel 0.1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2387883 |
Apri 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2317192 |
Apri 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2317206 |
Aviane 21 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg levonorgestrel 0.1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2298538 |
Aviane 28 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg levonorgestrel 0.1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2298546 |
Backup Plan Onestep *Requires prescription for PharmaCare coverage |
levonorgestrel 1.5 mg | morning-after pill | C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2433532 |
Brevicon (21-day pack) | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.5 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2187086 |
Brevicon (28-day pack) | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.5 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2187094 |
Brevicon (21-day pack) | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2189054 |
Brevicon (28-day pack) | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2189062 |
Contingency One *Requires prescription for PharmaCare coverage |
levonorgestrel 1.5 mg | morning-after pill | C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2425009 |
Depo-Provera sterile aqueous suspension | medoxyprogesterone acetate 150 mg | injection | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 585092 |
Freya 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2396491 |
Freya 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2396610 |
Jencycla | northindrone 0.35 mg | pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2441306 |
Kyleena | levonorgestrel 19.5 mg | IUD | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2459523 |
Linessa 21 | Tri-phasic | pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2272903 |
Linessa 28 | Tri-phasic | pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2257238 |
Loestrin 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg norethindrone 1.5 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 297143 |
Loestrin 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg norethindrone 1.5 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 353027 |
Marvelon 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2042487 |
Marvelon 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2042479 |
Min-Ovral 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg levonorgestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2042320 |
Min-Ovral 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg levonorgestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2042339 |
Minestrin 21 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg norethindrone 1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 315966 |
Minestrin 28 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg norethindrone 1 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 343838 |
Mirena | levonorgestrel 52 mg | IUD | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2243005 |
Mirvala 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2410249 |
Mirvala 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg desogestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2410257 |
Movisse | norethindrone 0.35 mg | pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2410303 |
Nexplanon | etonogestrel 68 mg per implant (to deliver up to 70 mcg etonogestrel per day) |
implant | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 02499509 |
Ovima 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg levonorgestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2387085 |
Ovima 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg levonorgestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2387093 |
Plan B *Requires prescription for PharmaCare coverage |
levonorgestrel 1.5 mg | morning-after pill | C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2293854 |
Portia 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg levonorgestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2295946 |
Portia 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg levonorgestrel 0.15 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2295954 |
Synphasic 21 | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 1 mg ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.5 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2187108 |
Synphasic 28 | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 1 mg ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.5 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2187116 |
Tri-Jordyna 21 | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.25 mg ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.215 mg ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.18 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2486296 |
Tri-Jordyna 28 | ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.25 mg ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.215 mg ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg norethindrone 0.18 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2486318 |
Tricira-Lo 21 | ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg norethindrone 0.25 mg ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg norethindrone 0.215 mg ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg norethindrone 0.18 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2401967 |
Tricira-Lo 28 | ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg norethindrone 0.25 mg ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg norethindrone 0.215 mg ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg norethindrone 0.18 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2401975 |
Triquilar 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg norethindrone 0.125 mg ethinyl estradiol 40 mcg norethindrone 0.075 mg ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg norethindrone 0.05 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 707600 |
Triquilar 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg norethindrone 0.125 mg ethinyl estradiol 40 mcg norethindrone 0.075 mg ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg norethindrone 0.05 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 707503 |
Yasmin 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg drospirenone 3 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2261723 |
Yasmin 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg drospirenone 3 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2261731 |
Yaz 28 | ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg drospirenone 3 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2321157 |
Zamine 21 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg drospirenone 3 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2410788 |
Zamine 28 | ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg drospirenone 3 mg |
pill | B, C, F, Fair PharmaCare, W | 2410796 |
Note: Although morning-after pills (Backup Plan Onestep, Contingency Plan, Plan B) are over-the-counter medications, PharmaCare will only cover them if you have a prescription.
PharmaCare’s Plan Z (Assurance) pays the full cost of medical abortion for any B.C. resident with a prescription. All you need to do is present a prescription to the pharmacy counter. You can read about medical abortion at HealthLinkBC.
If you are enrolled in the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP), you can get your prescription filled immediately. If you don’t yet have a PHN but are a resident of B.C., the pharmacist will ask you to sign a form for exceptional Plan Z coverage. To be eligible for coverage, you must declare that you have enrolled or are about to enrol in MSP. Then your prescription will be filled at no cost.
If you haven’t enrolled in MSP, do so as soon as possible. MSP is mandatory for all B.C. residents.
You may be interested in this information about coverage of surgical abortion.
PharmaCare doesn't currently cover the items below. Talk to your pharmacist or prescriber about your options.
- cervical caps
- condoms*
- copper IUDs
- diaphragms
- patches
- rings
- sponges
*Condoms are often available for free at local sexual health clinics.
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