Perscriptions just got easier for children and young adults 24 years of age or younger.
At the start of 2018, it was announced that over 4400 drug products are now free if you’re aged 24-years-old, or younger, under the Ontario Drug Benefit program. This is great news for college and university students or those who are working low-income jobs. The program doesn’t require a long complicated registration process either. All you have to do is take your eligible prescription to a pharmacy and your health card number.
Parents will also find the program of benefit for their babies, children, and youths under 24-years-old. Besides age qualification requirements, you must already have OHIP coverage.
There is no need to register because if you already have OHIP, then your coverage is automatic. The OHIP Plus coverage will end on a person’s 25th birthday. At that point, a person may qualify for other financial help for prescription drug costs.
There are more than 4400 drug products that can be free under the OHIP Plus program. Just some of these include:
• Antibiotics for infections
• Asthma inhalers
• Diabetic insulin and test strips
• Epipens
• Antidepressants
• ADHD drugs
• Childhood cancer drugs
• Quit smoking products
There is a full listing of covered drugs on the OHIP Plus website. There may also be individual drugs covered under the Exceptional Access Program if the person qualifies.
For parents who need to get a child’s medication that would be covered under OHIP Plus, they will first obtain the prescription, then they will head to any pharmacy in Ontario and present that, along with their health card. The pharmacy will provide the prescription at no charge. There will be no dispensing fee, deductible, or a co-payment.
The same procedure is in place if you’re an individual of legal age. The prescription is also completely free.
If you have coverage under other health plans, you may be concerned about how your OHIP+ can affect your coverage under other plans. There are three different situations that may be involved.
If you’re a parent who has a child who is eligible for the program, then OHIP Plus is the first payer for the eligible drug products.
If you’re a parent and you are a member of the Trillium Drug Program, they are also covered under OHIP Plus. But one important detail to note is that since you don’t pay out of pocket for any of these medications, there will also be no amounts that count towards your deductible, so your TDP won’t be affected at all.
In some instances, there may be Ontario residents who are going to school in other provinces. It’s still possible that your prescriptions would still be covered by OHIP Plus if you follow these three rules:
1. You continue maintaining your OHIP.
2. You have a valid prescription from a physician in Ontario.
3. You get your medication from an Ontario pharmacy.
OHIP Plus is a helpful government program that has provided a solution to families and individuals in need. If you already have OHIP coverage, you’ll automatically qualify for OHIP Plus, so all you have to do is show up at your favourite pharmacy with your prescription and healthcare card.
