Prescription Drugs Covered –
General
The public plan covers drugs obtained on prescription in Québec and dispensed by a pharmacist. The drugs covered are listed on the List of Medications, which comprises over 5 000 prescription drugs.
The List of Medications is published
periodically by the Régie. The
Minister of Health and Social
Services, in consultation with the
Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux, determines
which drugs to list.
Prescription drugs obtained
outside Québec
As a general rule, the public plan
does not cover prescription drugs
purchased outside Québec. Thus,
persons who obtain their drugs
outside the province are not
entitled to a reimbursement from
the Régie. When leaving Québec
temporarily, it is
wise to take out travel insurance
covering prescription drugs.
However, there is an exception to
this rule. The public plan does
cover prescription drugs purchased
at certain out-of-province pharmacies near the Québec
border, but only if there is no
pharmacy in Québec within a
32-kilometre radius. In addition,
the pharmacy must have concluded
an agreement with the Régie.
Prescription drugs received
during a stay in hospital
or in a longterm care facility
Prescription drugs received in
Québec during
a hospital stay or during a period
of residence in a public or
subsidized private longterm care
facility are covered in full by
government hospital insurance.
Generally speaking, residents of
non-subsidized private longterm care facilities pay a
contribution when purchasing their
prescription drugs.
