Contraceptives – information for health professionals

Last updated on November 8, 2024

PharmaCare fully covers most contraceptives for any B.C. resident enrolled in the Medical Services Plan (MSP).

On this page: How it works | Procedures for prescribers and pharmacists | Covered contraceptives | Resources

PharmaCare covers the full cost of many contraceptives for all B.C. residents.

  • Oral contraceptives
  • Intrauterine devices (IUDs) – hormonal and copper
  • Hormonal implant
  • Hormonal vaginal ring
  • Contraceptive injection
  • Emergency oral contraception (no prescription needed)

How it works

  • Prescribers do not need to complete any forms. They prescribe a fully covered contraceptive or help patients transition to one
  • Patients do not need to register. They need to be enrolled in MSP. If they have applied and MSP coverage is pending, pharmacists can apply for exceptional Plan Z coverage
  • All products need to be entered in PharmaNet by a pharmacist to be covered. For IUDs and implants, patients will need to book follow-up appointments for insertion
  • Coverage is for contraceptives, regardless of the reason for the prescription

Procedures for prescribers and pharmacists

  • Prescribe a fully covered contraceptive or switch a prescription to one that is fully covered. A full list of covered contraceptives is below
    • Alternatively, the PharmaCare Formulary Search will be updated regularly to reflect coverage changes. Click on the item's DIN/PIN in your search results to see coverage information: items covered under Plan Z are fully covered for any B.C. resident; items covered under Plan C or W are fully covered for people with Plan C or W coverage
  • No prescription is needed for emergency contraceptives. Pharmacists must enter the dispense in PharmaNet (with their practitioner ID in the prescriber field)
  • PharmaCare’s Full Payment Policy applies to fully covered contraceptives. Pharmacists may not charge for the drug, dispense, or anything else associated with filling the prescription

Emergency contraceptives must be entered into PharmaNet under the patient’s PHN who will be taking the drug. This ensures an accurate PharmaNet record. Pharmacists must check patient identification before providing any pharmacy services. Please see the College of Pharmacists PPP-54 for additional guidance. If the patient is not picking up themselves, pharmacists should confirm that the person picking up the medication has been authorized to do so by the patient.

Covered contraceptives (last update: August 3, 2023)

Oral contraceptives

See also Oral contraceptives by ingredient and coverage status below

DIN (for pharmacist use) Product Ingredients Benefit status (full benefit = free)
2236974 Alesse 21 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2236975 Alesse 28 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2387875 Alysena 21 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Full benefit
2387883 Alysena 28 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Full benefit
2317192 Apri 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2317206 Apri 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2532174 Audrina 21 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Full benefit
2532182 Audrina 28 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Full benefit
2298538 Aviane 21 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Full benefit
2298546 Aviane 28 ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.1 mg
Full benefit
2187086 Brevicon 0.5/35 (21) ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norethindrone 0.5 mg
Full benefit
2187094 Brevicon 0.5/35 (28) ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norethindrone 0.5 mg
Full benefit
2189054 Brevicon 1/35 (21) ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norethindrone 1 mg
Full benefit
2189062 Brevicon 1/35 (28) ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norethindrone 1 mg
Full benefit
2462060 Drospirenone and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Full benefit
2421437 Drospirenone and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg

Full benefit

2421445 Drospirenone and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg

Full benefit

2396491 Freya 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg

Full benefit

2396610 Freya 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2441306 Jencycla norethindrone 0.35 mg Full benefit
2272903 Linessa 21 ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg
desogestrel 0.1/ 0.125/ 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2257238 Linessa 28 ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg
desogestrel 0.1/ 0.125/ 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2417456 LOLO 28 noethindrone acetate 1 mg
ethinyl estradiol 0.010 mg
Full benefit
2042487 Marvelon 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2042479 Marvelon 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2042320 Min-Ovral 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.15 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2042339 Min-Ovral 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.15 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2410249 Mirvala 21  ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2410257 Mirvala 28  ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
desogestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2410303 Movisse norethindrone 0.35 mg Full benefit
2415380 Mya ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Full benefit
2387085 Ovima 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2387093 Ovima 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2295946 Portia 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2295954 Portia 28  ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.15 mg
Full benefit
2187108 Synphasic 21 ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norethindrone 0.5/ 1 mg
Full benefit
2187116 Synphasic 28 ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norethindrone 0.5/ 1 mg
Full benefit
2508087 Tri-Cira 21 ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norgestimate 0.18/ 0.215/ 0.25 mg
Full benefit
2508095 Tri-Cira 28 ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norgestimate 0.18/ 0.215/ 0.25 mg
Full benefit
2486296 Tri-Jordyna 21 ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norgestimate 0.18/ 0.215/ 0.25 mg
Full benefit
2486318 Tri-Jordyna 28 ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg
norgestimate 0.18/ 0.215/ 0.25 mg
Full benefit
2401967 Tricira-Lo 21 ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg
norgestimate 0.18/ 0.215/ 0.25 mg
Full benefit
2401975 Tricira-Lo 28 ethinyl estradiol 25 mcg
norgestimate 0.18/ 0.215/ 0.25 mg
Full benefit
707600 Triquilar 21  ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.05/ 0.075/ 0.125 mg
Full benefit
707503 Triquilar 28  ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
levonorgestrel 0.05/ 0.075/ 0.125 mg
Full benefit
2261723 Yasmin 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2261731 Yasmin 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2321157 Yaz ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Partial benefit (talk to a pharmacist about free, generic options)
2410788 Zamine 21 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Full benefit
2410796 Zamine 28 ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg
drospirenone 3 mg
Full benefit

Copper IUDs

PIN (for pharmacist use) Product Benefit status (full benefit = free)
66127954 Flexi-T 300 Full benefit
66128087 Flexi-T +300 Full benefit
66128088 Flexi-T 380 Full benefit
66128089 Liberte UT 380 Short Full benefit
66128090 Liberte UT 380 Standard Full benefit
66128091 Liberte TT 380 Short Full benefit
66128092 Liberte TT 380 Standard Full benefit
66128387 Liberté UT 380 Silver-Copper Standard   Full benefit
66128388 Liberté UT 380 Silver-Copper Short Full benefit
66128153 Mona Lisa 10 Full benefit
66128154 Mona Lisa 5 Mini Full benefit
66128390 Mona Lisa 5 Standard Full benefit
66128158 Mona Lisa N Full benefit
11200017 IUD exceptional  

Hormonal IUDs

DIN (for pharmacist use) Product Ingredient Benefit status (full benefit = free)
2459523 Kyleena levonorgestrel 19.5 mg Full benefit
2243005 Mirena levonorgestrel 52 mg Full benefit

Contraceptive injection

DIN (for pharmacist use) Product Ingredient Benefit status (full benefit = free)
2523493 Depo-Provera medroxyprogesterone acetate 150 mg Full benefit

Hormonal implant

DIN (for pharmacist use) Product Ingredient Benefit status (full benefit = free)
2499509 Nexplanon etonogestrel 68 mg Full benefit

Hormonal vaginal ring

DIN (for pharmacist use) Product Ingredient Benefit status (full benefit = free)
2520028 Haloette etonogestrel / ethinyl estradiol
11.7 mg / 2.7 mg
Full benefit
2253186 NuvaRing etonogestrel / ethinyl estradiol 11.4 / 2.6 mg Partial benefit

Emergency oral contraception

DIN (for pharmacist use) Product Ingredient Benefit status (full benefit = free)
2425009 Contingency One levonorgestrel 1.5 mg Full benefit
2433532 Backup Plan One-step levonorgestrel 1.5 mg Full benefit
2293854 Plan B levonorgestrel 1.5 mg Partial benefit (patient pays a portion)

Oral contraceptives by ingredients and coverage status (PDF)

BOLD: non-benefit
plain text: full benefit
starred*: partial benefit

Primary ingredient Secondary ingredient
ethinyl estradiol (EE) (mcg) estetrol (mg) no secondary
ingredient
  10 20  25 30 35  30-40-30  15   
desogestrel
(mg)
0.15        Apri, Freya, Mirvala, Marvelon*        
0.1/
0.125/ 
0.15 
    Linessa          
drospirenone (mg)   YAZ Plus (+levomefolate), Mya, drospirenone/ EE tabs, YAZ*   Zamine, drospirenone/ EE tabs, Yasmin*     Nextstellis  
              Slynd
levonorgestrel (mg) 0.1    Alysena, Audrina, Aviane, Alesse*            
0.15        Ovima, Portia,
Min-Ovral*
91-day packs: Seasonale, Indayo, Seasonique (+ 7 days EE 10 mcg)
       
0.05/
0.075/
0.125 
          Triquilar    
norethindrone (mg) 0.35                Movisse, Jencycla
0.5          Brevicon 0.5/35      
1   LoLo        Select 1/35, Brevicon 1/35      
 0.5/ 1               Synphasic      
norgestimate (mg) 0.18/
0.215/
0.25 
    Tricira-Lo   Tri-Cira,
Tri-Jordyna
     

Resources
Free prescription contraception – information for the public

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