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Public prescription drug insurance plan
Québec City, June 27, 2018 – Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services, announced today that effective July 1, 2018, the maximum annual premium for the public prescription drug insurance plan will be reduced by 7.7%, from $667 to $616.
Quote
During the last year, we signed new registration agreements with manufacturers of innovative drugs and the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA). Today, we can concretely measure the impact of these new agreements, because for a second time only since the establishment of the public plan in 1997, they are resulting in a reduced premium, which leaves more money in the pockets of Québec taxpayers.
– Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services
Key points
- The reduction in the annual premium will benefit 2.2 million Quebecers covered by the public prescription drug insurance plan.
- Close to 1.4 million people covered by this plan, or 39% of the insured, pay no annual premium. Of this number, approximately 900,000 get all their medication free of charge.
Premium
- The maximum annual premium to pay to Revenu Québec when filing your income tax return is reduced from $667 to $616.
Contribution at the pharmacy
- The monthly deductible is $19.90 up from $19.45.
- Co-insurance represents 34.9% (up from 34.8%) of the cost of the prescription, from which the deductible is previously subtracted, if applicable.
- The maximum monthly contribution is $90.58 up from $88.83 for people aged 18 to 64 and for those 65 and above not receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). This contribution is $53.16 per month for people aged 65 and above who receive 1% to 93% of the GIS.
A rate comparison table and calculation example are presented in the appendix. In addition, a summary table of amounts payable can be consulted on the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec’s website at ramq.gouv.qc.ca
A one-of-a-kind plan in Canada for the benefit of Quebecers
The public prescription drug insurance plan covers 3.6 million people. It continues to guarantee all people reasonable and fair access to the medication required by their state of health. Québec is the only Canadian province where the entire population must have prescription drug insurance coverage.
APPENDIX: PUBLIC PRESCRIPTION DRUG INSURANCE PLAN
Comparative table of rates
| Type of rate | From July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 |
From July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 |
| Annual premium | From $0 to $616 | From $0 to $667 |
| Deductible | $19.90 | $19.45 |
| Co-insurance | 34.9 % | 34.8 % |
| Maximum monthly contribution | ||
| Person insured without GIS and subscribers | $90.58 | $88.83 |
| Insured person who receives 1% to 93% of the GIS | $53.16 | $52.65 |
Example of calculation of the financial contribution to pay when purchasing a prescription at the pharmacy
| Luc is 42 years old. He buys the same $100 medication every month. What price does he actually pay? | |
| Cost of the medication: | $100 |
| – | |
| Monthly deductible: | $19.90 |
| + | |
| Co-insurance ($100 – $19.90 = $80.10 x 34.9%) |
$27.95 |
| = | |
| Contribution to pay each month:
($19.90 + $27.95) |
$47.85 |
| If Luc buys a second prescription in the same month and it costs $60, he will only pay the co-insurance of 34.9%, or $20.94.
Regardless of the number of prescriptions bought in one month, Luc will pay no more than $90.58 per month. |
|
