First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) Transition to BC Pharmacare
Published on October 2, 2017Author: Bhavesh Patel, C. Chem., Natco Pharma (Canada) Inc.
Beginning October 1, 2017, the FNHA will partner with BC PharmaCare to administer the FNHA PharmCare plan - a fully paid drug benefits plan for FNHA clients. Currently, drug coverage for FNHA clients is administered through Health Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits (“NIHB”) program. The goal of the transition, which will see the benefits plan administered at a local level, is to promote a health care system that is more responsive to the needs of the needs of the First Nations community.
Under the new FNHA PharmaCare plan, to be known as “Plan W”, eligible FNHA clients will receive full drug coverage to be paid by BC PharmaCare as the first-payer. Most FNHA clients who currently receive benefits through Health Canada’s NIHB program will be eligible for coverage of prescribed medications and services under Plan W.
Other benefits of this transition include:
• an increased ease of access to benefits and services;
• a streamlined approvals process that reduces the number of steps needed for the approval of prescription coverage;
• reduced confusion for clients who often have to navigate both federal and provincial drug coverage plans; and,
• better outcomes for FNHA clients through a closer working partnership with PharmaCare, pharmacists, and physicians/nurse practitioners.
Thank you for reading Regulated Affairs, the CAPRA Blog. CAPRA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing professional development opportunities in Regulatory Affairs. Feel free to share our blog posts and join us on social media.
For more information please visit the FNHA website.
Related Articles
Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs Regulatory Framework in Canada: Recent Initiatives by Government of Canada
What are Rare Diseases and How do They Affect Canadians? According to Health Canada, rare diseases are life-threatening, debilitating, or serious and chronic conditions that...
Health Canada changes filing requirements for product monographs
Did you know, effective immediately, Health Canada is changing the submission requirements for second language product monographs for human drugs? This is for only post-life...
Pragmatic Clinical Trials: Testing Treatments in the Real-World
What is a Pragmatic Clinical Trial? Clinical trials can be designed to be either pragmatic or explanatory. Explanatory trials are designed to find out whether a treatment...