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Hello I was wondering if anyone knew of any medication help in Brandon besides pharmacare? The deductible they want is really out of our reach even on an equal payment plan. The 7th Street access center offers medication help once yearly if in the hospital but otherwise it's not really an option. I feel at a loss of what to do. I need medication and right now it's buy meds or buy food. If anyone has any other ideas would be extremely helpful

Depends on the med: some meds have EDS , ask your dr. Or pharmacist about that - then it’s covered  
 
Pfizer website helps if it’s a pfizer drug  
 
Samples from your dr?

My doctor is aware of my situation and unfortunately there isn't anything for the most expensive one. And it's unfortunately not a Pfizer med. I looked on shires website and they have a drug assistance program but it's not for Manitoba. It's unfortunatly a newer med so there isn't a generic either. It sucks because I finally found a med that works for me and it feels so out of reach after this months gone.

EIA.

Would they be of any help to you?

THere is help with non generic drugs through innovicares. I take a med that is very expensive and this company covers most of the cost and I only pay about 1/4 of it. It doesn't cover all drugs but alot, all you have to do is apply for the card online. Good luck.

However, eia won't help because my fiance makes too much,  
 
I have tried innovicares but my medications aren't covered.

Pharmacare is usually based on 2 years prior. Do you make less now than before? If you do you can possibly get an adjustment and they will base on your current income. If your boyfriend makes too much for help can he pay for it? Is there any similar alternative meds? Can you get a weekly supply instead of monthly to make it more manageble of a price? and ask your pharmacy if they can not charge a dispensing fee each time or a smaller one (if doing weekly dispenses)

If you know that you need medications it would be a good idea to budget for them!!  
Manitoba Hydro offers a payment plan.  
It just means the luxury things have to go. Getting nails done. Going to the movies. Dining out. Expensive aftershave / makeup.  
Your health comes before all else!!

Seriously?! Where in her question does she mention she is out getting her nails done, dining out, going to the movies and buying expensive aftershave (is that even a thing??)  
 
Maybe give some advice to the question asked or don't bother replying.  
 
Kayla you got some good advice given already. Look into what's been mentioned and keep positive I'm sure you will figure out something and glad you are able to find something that works for you.  
 
Edited by MSR, 2019-01-16 06:09:50

Talk to your pharmacy, perhaps they will let you make payments.  
 
I know that mine will let me charge all my meds and bill me at the end of the month.

Firstly, we do not do luxury things smh. My fiance is making considerably less now and those were the first things to go. I don't dye my hair, get my nails done, ever. They have never been in our budget. I have trimmed as much off of ever bill that I could just to come up with a grocery budget. I am well aware of how these things work. It's not as easy as cutting off 200$ of my bills. We have enough for our regular bills and food. Which means no clothing, purfume, makeup, alcohol, restrauntss, ect aren't in our budget. No wants are included.  
 
I did find an alternate for one of my meds on innovicare and I will speak to my doctor about that. It has so far been the only other option I have dug up that could be a possibility. Thanks for all the helpful responses I appreciate the ideas. I am still keeping an eye out in case I find something, I did manage to find the exception drug status program which may help with another med I may be trying next for my skin so that's great also.

Hello, Kayla.  
Try going to The Medicine Shoppe on 8th street across from Superstore. The people who own it are very understanding and will bend over backwards to get you the meds you need, and will most likely help with a payment plan. They also offer a 20% discount on prescriptions if you sign up for their membership card! I use this pharmacy and they have helped me get meds for my little boy when I've been broke as broke and can't afford anything, they let me charge it and pay when I can. Ask for Legal Patel he is the owner, him and his wife are the pharmacists there. Hope this helps....good luck.

If your pharmacare deductible is creating a financial burden for you then send a letter to pharmacare outlining your financial circumstances and the hardship the deductible is creating. Pharmacare has middle managers who have the authority to review situations on a case by case basis and adjust the deductible as required. If you are not happy with their response you can appeal to the Minister of Health. Many Seniors on fixed incomes often have their deductible adjusted so they can both eat and purchase medications. Your request must be in writing and include all financial obligations.

You can reapply to pharmacare especially if you’re financial status has changed. They don’t just look back on your 2017 taxes to determine 2018 rates: they look at a snippet of 2016 and 2017. Reapply, it’s worth a shot!

Try and get some benefits. Blue cross has some decent packages!

What's innovicares?Never heard of it.Is there a catch??

I know what exactly you are going through. I'm on disability right now and not all my meds are covered by pharmacare. I don't eat out, have cable, buy make up, get my hair done, by clothes or anything like that either. My social worker told me to find the money. I had to use my grocery money which for a single person is $67 a month.  
 
I have gone to lengths as to sell my things to have enough money for it.(my t.v and other items). Now I actually have been able to save a little money I am trying to buy a tv..... not much luck yet

here is the link, I am not sure if you qualify but I know a few people that use this process!  
 
Best Wishes!  
 
https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/pharmacare/dippp.html

Not sure quite how to describe it, it's kind of like a pres:cription help plan but not really. They help people afford certain medications at a discount price. So I guess the catch is if the medication your on is on the List.

Have you actually met with the workers at EIA? Are they the ones who said that your common law makes too much to qualify? There are certain circumstances when EIA will pay for medications only, even if the person does not qualify for financial assistance. It is important to discuss all your circumstances with them.  
 
If you have done that and you are not eligible, then budgeting for the pharmacare deductible is your best bet. Looking at the pharmacare estimator, for example: a family of 2 with no dependents, one person is making minimum wage working full time (2000 hours x 11.35 = $22700), the deductible is $1021, which is less than $100 per month when spread over the year.

The innovicare card doesn’t cover generic meds, it covers the price difference between the brand drug and it’s equivalent generic. For example, if a brand drug (must be on Innovicare list) is $50 more expensive than the generic, it covers the $50, not the whole cost. EDS drugs must still be paid for until the Pharmacare deductible is reached. For the Pharmacare year of April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019, they are using your 2016 income tax information. If your income now is more than 10% less than it was in 2016, you can apply to Pharmacare to have your deductible reassessed. The income projection worksheets are available online.

Talk to the Pharmacist as well. My husband was on a wildly expensive drug and they were able to help us get an exceptional drug status for pharmacare. I believe its the Dr that has to write this letter for you though. We still had to pay for it until our pharmacare deductible was reached, but after that point it was covered.

Pharmacare goes on the last or last two year income and based deductible on that. If your fiancé is making considerable less (more than 10% difference) you should update pharmacare right away and have your deductible re estimated, if you haven’t already!

PM'd you.

Act along with the regulations for same are only guidelines and not written in stone. Regulations such as medication coverage and deductible limits can be altered depending on an individuals situation. I take two medications that initially were not covered by the pharmacare plan - one is a heart medication which is over $200.00 for a 28 day supply the other is an inhaler which is $93.00 for a one month supply. My Dr. simply sent pharmacare an email advising that these medications were necessary for my well being and 2 months later I received a letter from pharmacare that both medications would be covered beginning the first of the following month, with a review of same to be done in April 2021. If your medication is not covered by pharmacare - all pharmacare requires is a simple email from your Dr. is order to have the cost covered in your particular case.

Ram1952, it sounds like in your case, the medications required Exceptional Drug Status. These are medications that can be covered by Pharmacare, if an MD/NP applies for EDS coverage. Many of the drugs on this list have specific qualifiers (for example - the inhaler Spiriva may be approved under EDS if a person has failed a trial of at least 3 months of Atrovent). It is not as simple as your described, for many medications.