TORONTO – Ontario residents younger than 25 can now get free prescription medications.
This and several other regulatory changes in the province take effect on January 1.
Youth pharmacare means that anyone under 25 in Ontario will have free access to more than 4,400 prescription medications with no co-pay or deductible.
Some of the now publicly funded prescriptions include depression and anxiety medications, insulin and diabetic test strips, antibiotics, asthma inhalers and birth control pills.
Coverage will be automatic for children and youth with an OHIP card and a valid prescription. There will be no upfront costs, no co-pays and no strings attached.
Minister of Health Dr. Eric Hoskins said, ”Cost should never be a barrier that prevents our young people from receiving the health care they need. We are protecting the health and lives of all children and youth in Ontario, 24 years of age and younger, by providing easy access to prescription medication at no cost that will also lift the financial burden off parents who are without coverage. We will not give up on our vision of a universal pharmacare system, so that one day all Ontarians will have access to free drug coverage to keep them healthy and strong.”
