Palliative Care (Plan P)
Last updated on June 4, 2026
This page explains BC PharmaCare Palliative Care (Plan P) coverage.
On this page
What to know
The BC Palliative Care Benefits program supports B.C. residents who are near the end stage of a life-limiting condition and wish to receive palliative care wherever they live. This includes in their own home, living with family or friends, in an assisted living residence, in a hospice unit or at a residential care facility.
The program includes drug coverage through PharmaCare Plan P (Palliative Care).
Patients in hospital or in long-term care facilities registered with Plan B (Long-term Care) are not eligible for Plan P.
Eligibility
Coverage is for B.C. residents of any age who:
- Are enrolled in the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP)
- Have been diagnosed with a life-threatening condition
- Have a life expectancy of up to six months
- Consent to the focus of their care being palliative (rather than treatment aimed at cure), and
- Are not in hospital and do not live in a long-term care facility registered with Plan B
What is covered
People enrolled in the BC Palliative Care Benefits program receive:
- 100% coverage of prescribed and over-the-counter palliative medications on the Plan P (Palliative Care) drug list, and
- Medical supplies and equipment through their local health authority. For more information, contact your health authority's home and community care office
Drugs not on the Plan P drug list may be covered under another PharmaCare plan. Visit BC PharmaCare Formulary Search and click on a drug's DIN/PIN/NPN for plan details. Everyone is encouraged to register for the Fair PharmaCare plan
How to register
A care provider, such as a physician or nurse practitioner, registers individuals for the BC Palliative Care Benefits program. To assess your eligibility, they will:
- Talk with you about what palliative care means and help you decide if you want to focus on comfort care instead of treatments aimed at curing your disease or condition.
- Confirm indicators of poor and deteriorating health and a life-limiting condition(s) in the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT™) on the BC Palliative Care Benefits Registration form (PDF, 1.1MB).
- Complete and send the BC Palliative Care Benefits Registration form (PDF, 1.1MB) to PharmaCare and to the local health authority (to assess for medical supplies and equipment). You or your legal representative must sign the application. If there is no legal representative and you are unable to sign, the care provider may sign for you. The form is usually processed within 12-24 hours.
New B.C. residents
If a B.C. resident isn't yet fully enrolled in MSP but is otherwise eligible for Plan P coverage, a care provider can request coverage.
Once registered, PharmaCare sends a Confirmation of Coverage letter that explains that until MSP coverage begins, clients must pay for their palliative medications and can submit receipts for reimbursement if the drugs are on the Plan P list. Visit Manual claims submissions to learn more about submitting a manual claim to PharmaCare for reimbursement.
Special Authority
Sometimes a drug that is not included in the Plan P drug list is needed to treat pain and discomfort at the end of life. If there is no substitute for that drug on the Plan P drug list, PharmaCare will consider a request for Special Authority coverage.
A prescriber must complete a Special Authority request for PharmaCare to consider coverage for a medication not included in the Plan P formulary. Prescribers can submit a form or eForm to PharmaCare.
Visit Drugs that require Special Authority to learn more.
