No more paying for prescription birth control: B.C. to make Canadian history April 1
Paying for prescription birth control will be a thing of the past in British Columbia starting Saturday, marking a Canadian first.
Pharmacare is going to cover the cost of six different contraceptive methods beginning April 1., including copper intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormonal IUDs, plus hormone injections or implants, as well as the morning-after pill.
The latter method is the only one that won’t require a prescription, and some contraceptive brands are only partially covered.
Premier David Eby was in Vancouver Friday raising awareness for the initiative, which the province announced it planned to do on Feb. 28.
“It’s good news for everybody in British Columbia,” Eby told reporters outside the VCC-Clark SkyTrain station, as volunteers and members of his team held up signs reading ‘Free prescription contraception.”
“You don’t need access to a family doctor, we know not everyone has a family doctor,” said Eby. Adding his government was working to fix that problem. “But don’t let that stand in the way of going to a sexual health clinic in your community to access the support and services.”
Later this spring, the government says pharmacists will also be able to prescribe contraceptives, improving access to people living in rural and remote communities.
Contraceptives can be prescribed for any reason, including osteoporosis prevention, according to the B.C. government’s website.
Pharmacare still won’t cover cervical caps, condoms, diaphragms, patches, rings or sponges.
Being married to a doctor, Eby says he’s heard many stories of people who couldn’t afford the birth control that was best for their health, resulting in some choosing to abstain from using any.
“Wherever we can find an opportunity to provide a choice to people—but more than that, support them with the cost of daily life and ensure they’re not compromising their health because of cost—that’s what public system is all about, and that’s a point of pride for all Canadians,” the premier said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Most of the city is evacuating': Gridlock on Alberta highway after evacuation order in Fort McMurray
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Biden administration moving ahead on US$1 billion arms package for Israel, AP sources say
The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than US$1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, two congressional aides said Tuesday.
'Inappropriate' behaviour shuts down Dublin to New York City portal
Less than a week after two public sculptures featuring a livestream between Dublin, Ireland, and New York City debuted, 'inappropriate behaviour' in real-time interactions between people in the two cities has prompted a temporary shutdown.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Sask. police seize 1.5M pieces of evidence, lay 60 more charges in child exploitation case
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
King Charles III unveils his first official portrait since his coronation
King Charles III has unveiled the first portrait of the monarch completed since he assumed the throne, a vivid image that depicts him in the bright red uniform of the Welsh Guards against a background of similar hues.
Full List Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
About 1,000 wildfires confirmed so far this year: Here's a quick look at the situation in Canada
Nearly 1,000 wildfires have burned across Canada so far this year. Here's an overview of the situation in Canada.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.