Rapid antigen test (RAT) kits

Last updated on May 27, 2025

Community pharmacies may claim $75 per case of publicly funded COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits distributed. RAT kits must be distributed one at a time, with an instruction sheet, at no charge to the client. Clients do not need to be a B.C. resident. They do not need to show ID. The pharmacy does not need to collect or record their PHN.

Health Canada periodically extends RAT kit expiry dates. Visit Health Canada’s web page, Authorized medical devices for uses related to COVID-19 and the BC Centre for Disease Control COVID-19 website for current information.

RAT kit distribution program winds down

RAT kit distribution program winds down

The last day to order RAT kits that are eligible for the PharmaCare distribution fee is May 31, 2025. Pharmacies have until June 30, 2025 to submit claims for the distribution fee for RAT kits that are:

  • ordered by May 31, 2025, and
  • opened for public distribution prior to June 30, 2025.

Late claims submitted after June 30 will not be reimbursed.

Distributors will continue to supply tests at no cost to pharmacies while program supplies last, though pharmacies cannot claim the distribution fee on tests ordered after May 31. All provincially supplied tests must be provided to patients free of charge. Pharmacies wishing to provide RAT kits after the provincial distribution program ends can do so through a private-pay model. 

Refer to the May 2025 PharmaCare Newsletter for more details. 

PharmaNet procedures

 Pharmacy staff must enter the PIN in PharmaNet on opening a case.

  1. Enter PIN: 66128325 for BNTX case or 66128338 for Artron case
  2. Enter pharmacy’s O-Med PHN.
  3. Enter the number of cases in Quantity.
  4. The claim will adjudicate as a non-benefit and will be paid monthly.

Patient instruction sheets

The BCCDC instruction sheet is available for printing in several languages.

For more details, visit Section 8.15, Rapid antigen test kit distribution, PharmaCare Policy Manual