The GreenShield Cares Essential Medicines Program provides 12 months of coverage of up to $1, 000 towards eligible prescription drug costs and PharmaCare deductibles and annual family maximums with no out-of-pocket costs, no co-pays or deductibles and free shipping.

Please review the program eligibility details and definitions below before submitting an application.

British Columbia Essential Medicines Program Application

Before you get started

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Program eligibility

You must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the program:

Canadian citizen and/or a permanent resident who lives in the province of British Columbia
Currently employed
Aged 19+
Have a combined household net income below the program threshold
Not enrolled in a private prescription drug plan, regardless of the level of coverage available
Must be enrolled in BC Medical Service Plan (MSP)
Must be enrolled in Fair PharmaCare

*Medications that require Special Authority (SA) are eligible, but coverage under the Essential Medicines program will not contribute towards the participant’s PharmaCare deductible and family maximum unless SA approval is obtained.

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Program definitions

The following definitions help explain our program's acceptance criteria listed above. Please read them carefully before starting your application.

Canadian citizen and/or a permanent resident of British Columbia

For the purposes of the Essential Medicines program, a resident is an individual who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who resides in the province of British Columbia.

Household

A single person living alone; or individuals living in a household (whether related or not) who are not under the guardianship of another, are financially independent because they do not rely on other household members for financial support and pay for their own expenses, including utility bills, rent, groceries, medical expenses, childcare, etc.  
Two or more persons who share a residence, may have a family relationship, may live in a conjugal relationship outside of marriage, but are dependent on each other for financial support. The key factor is financial dependency, excluding those who are financially independent and self-supporting.  
Two persons living together if one is the legal guardian of the other, and one is dependent on the other for financial support.  
Children living with you, including children and youth aged 24 years and under, and/or who are students, who may not live with you but rely on you for financial support, such as students who are away for school or children studying abroad.
Parents, grandparents, and other relatives who live with you and rely on you or you rely on them for financial support.

Combined net household income

Represents the money the household has left over after subtracting taxes and other deductions from all household members combined gross incomes in a calendar year; essentially after taxes take-home pay.

Employment

Represents an individual’s employment status and includes actively working part-time or full-time whether on a permanent or contract basis. This includes individuals employed who may not be actively working due to being on leave including maternity, sick, or other types of leave; there is intent to return to work with the same employer in the future and that same employer does not provide access to prescription drug coverage while on leave.

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What happens if you’re not eligible?

There are several public drug programs that help cover the costs of vital medications. Discover which programs help individuals in British Columbia afford their medications and find the right support for you or a loved one.

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