The GreenShield Cares Essential Medicines Program provides 12 months of coverage of up to $1,000 for a defined list of prescription medications 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.

Ontario Essential Medicines Program Application

Before you get started

1
The application process should take between 8-10 minutes to complete
2
Please review the program eligibility details and definitions below before submitting your application
3
Some drugs may require you to meet clinical criteria to be eligible for coverage or may be subject to other limitations, as determined by GreenShield

Program eligibility

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

  • Permanent resident of Ontario
  • Currently employed
  • Aged 25 to 64
  • 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
  • Not enrolled in a provincial drug program such as the Ontario Trillium Drug Program* or Ontario Disability Support Program

*If you're enrolled in this program and want to explore joining the Essential Medicines program, speak with GreenShield Pharmacy or the program Specialist before proceeding with the application process.

Program definitions

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

Permanent resident of Ontario

For the purposes of our program, a resident is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who resides in the province of Ontario.

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 onthe other for financial support.


  • Children living with you, including children and youth aged 24 years and under who are coveredby OHIP+, and children who are students, who may not live with you but rely on you for financialsupport, 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 themfor financial support.
Combined net household income

Represents the money the household has left over after subtracting taxes and other deductionsfrom 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 fulltimewhether 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.

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 Ontarians afford their medications, and find the right support for you or a loved one.

Explore other programs
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