Starting Sunday, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the BC Ministry of Health will implement an all-new health benefits plan for 143,000 FNHA clients right across the province.
With this move, BC will become the first province to deliver drug coverage to First Nations clients through its provincial program.
Chair of the First Nations Health Council, Grand Chief Doug Kelly says clients who are currently covered by Health Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits will be eligible for a new BC PharmaCare plan called ‘Plan W’.
“In British Columbia, the PharmaCare program is income-tested. There’s a deductible and the higher your income, the higher your deductible. ‘Plan W’ does away with all of that. ‘Plan W’ is fully funded. Those folks that are already registered with a Care Card with the Province of British Columbia are already enrolled in ‘Plan W’.”
Kelly says by working with the province on this plan, they’ve been able to improve health services and access to care for First Nations across BC. He says come Sunday, First Nations can visit their pharmacist, show their Care Card and Status Card and they will receive their medication under the new ‘Plan W’.
For more details on the transition, visit www.fnha.ca/benefits/pharmacare-transition.
