The Mixer, November, 2007 First launched by the BC Government in 2003, PharmaCare provides financial assistance to British Columbia residents for eligible prescription drugs and designated medical supplies and focuses financial assistance on BC families who need it most, based on their net income. All British Columbians are encouraged to register with the PharmaCare plan. If you have not registered, you should register now to receive your maximum financial assistance under the PharmaCare Plan. If you are a BC resident and enrolled with the Medical Services Plan (MSP), you can register your family to receive your maximum financial assistance under PharmaCare. Your family includes you, your spouse and any dependent children whose MSP coverage is on the same contract as you or your spouse. If you have already registered, you do not need to register again for future years. PharmaCare will verify your family’s income with the Canada Revenue Agency and determine your level of financial assistance. Each year, your family’s income will be confirmed from your filed income tax return with CRA. (If you have not yet signed up for PharmaCare, you will need to sign and return a consent form to PharmaCare, allowing PharmaCare to verify your income for this year and future years.) To ensure British Columbians’ annual drug costs do not exceed their ability to pay, you will have a family maximum. Once you have reached your family maximum, PharmaCare will cover 100% of your family’s eligible drug costs for the remainder of the year. PharmaCare assists families to pay for eligible prescription drugs, based on your net income. The lower your family income, the more assistance the government provides toward your prescription drug costs. British Columbians with the lowest incomes receive immediate financial assistance under the PharmaCare plan. Starting January 1, 2008, PharmaCare will reimburse prescription expenses above a family’s PharmaCare deductible only if the expense was incurred after the family registered for the plan. However, all eligible prescription costs will continue to count towards a family’s PharmaCare deductible. Your assistance will apply only to prescriptions purchased on or after January 1 of the year in which you register or the date your enrollment in MSP comes into effect, whichever is later. To be eligible for PharmaCare financial assistance you must: • Be a resident of British Columbia for at least three months; and • Have effective Medical Services Plan of British Columbia (MSP) coverage; and • Have filed an income tax return for the relevant taxation year. If either you or your spouse has not met the eligibility requirements, the eligible members of your family can still register. You will need to register by mail in this case. If you or your spouse were born in 1939 or earlier, you may qualify for enhanced financial assistance under the PharmaCare plan. Please report changes in your personal or family information, including address changes. You can check the level of financial assistance available to you under the PharmaCare plan by visiting the PharmaCare website at www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharme. Questions? Visit the PharmaCare web site or call 604-683-7151 in Vancouver and toll free 1-800-663-7100. | 
