B.C. removes prescription drug deductibles for low-income residents
VANCOUVER — Health Minister Adrian Dix says British Columbia has taken a “long overdue step forward” to help lower-income households handle the cost of prescription drugs.
Dix says deductibles and other payments have been eliminated for 240,000 families, meaning they no longer have to choose between paying for their medical needs or affording basics, such as food or shelter.
The Health Ministry says a three-year, $105-million program that took effect Jan. 1 ensures a family with a net annual income of $30,000 or less no longer pay a deductible for prescription drugs.
Before, families with net earnings between $15,000 and $30,000 paid $300 to $600 in deductibles before receiving drug coverage assistance.