Public drug programs provide drug coverage for a specific population. Federal, provincial and territorial governments offer many different drug programs, most of which have defined criteria for eligibility that include things like age, income, conditions or diseases, or drug costs.
This page gives you an overview of the programs available and their eligibility criteria. It helps you understand program differences so you can interpret data about drug use and spending, and make comparisons.
See the Formulary coverage page for details about the drugs included in each program’s formulary.
Note: An asterisk identifies programs that do not submit data to CIHI’s NPDUIS.
| Jurisdiction | Program group | Programs | Benefit information | Eligibility criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | Diabetes | Diabetes Assistance Program | Eligible diabetes drugs and supplies |
Residents under the age of 65 with a valid Nova Scotia health card who have been diagnosed with diabetes and are not covered by any other drug plan for diabetes drugs and supplies. |
| Nova Scotia | Diabetes | Insulin Pump Program* | Insulin pumps and insulin pump supplies |
Residents age 25 or younger who have type 1 diabetes; financial eligibility is also based on household income and family size. |
| Nova Scotia | Diabetes | Special Funding Assistance for Residents with Diabetes Insipidus* | Eligible drugs used to treat diabetes insipidus |
Residents who have been diagnosed with diabetes insipidus and are not covered by any other drug plan for eligible diabetes insipidus drugs. |
| Nova Scotia | Other | Mifegymiso* | The drug Mifegymiso |
Residents with a valid Nova Scotia health card; other sources of insurance must be billed first. |
| Nova Scotia | Universal | Family Pharmacare Program | Eligible prescription drugs |
Residents with a valid Nova Scotia health card who do not have prescription drug coverage through other provincial programs; eligibility is not restricted by age and coverage is available for families (including dependent children). |
| New Brunswick | Seniors | Medavie Blue Cross Seniors' Prescription Drug Program | Prescription drug coverage is the same as that provided by the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program |
Uninsured residents 65 years of age or older. |
| New Brunswick | Seniors | New Brunswick Drug Plans for Seniors | Eligible prescription drugs for seniors who receive the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement |
Low-income residents age 65 and older who have a valid Medicare card and do not have prescription drug coverage from another plan. |
| New Brunswick | Long-term care | NB Drug Plans — Adult Residential Facilities | Prescription drugs for individuals who reside in an adult residential facility |
Individuals who reside in an adult residential facility; eligibility for this plan is determined by the Department of Social Development. |
| New Brunswick | Long-term care | NB Drug Plans — Nursing Home Residents | Prescription drugs for nursing home residents |
Individuals who reside in a registered nursing home; eligibility for this plan is determined by the Department of Social Development. |
| New Brunswick | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | New Brunswick Drugs for Rare Diseases Plan* | Eligible drugs for specific rare diseases |
Residents with a valid Medicare card who have 1 of a specific list of rare diseases. |