B.C. adds National Pharmacare drug plan and removes insulin pricing exception for pharmacists

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

Three linked changes take effect together. First, a new drug plan called Plan NP (National Pharmacare) is created; any person who holds a B.C. medicare card is automatically enrolled in it. Second, the existing rule that prevented pharmacists from charging beneficiaries out-of-pocket for benefits they are entitled to receive at no cost now explicitly exempts only nutritional vitamins or supplements for people with cystic fibrosis — a previous broader exception has been removed. Third, the Drug Price Regulation's carve-out that treated insulin differently from other drugs has been deleted, meaning insulin is now subject to the same pricing rules as other drugs under the regulation. Pharmacists, pharmacy operators, and drug plan administrators should review their billing and charge practices to ensure they align with the updated rules.

Who this affects: pharmacists and pharmacy operators · drug plan administrators · medicare beneficiaries in British Columbia · people living with cystic fibrosis · insulin manufacturers and distributors