Money and finances play key roles in any treatment plan. This is especially true now when there are some new treatments approved for use in Canada that aren’t yet available through PharmaCare.

Financial planning is a part of treatment planning – from details about financial coverage for medications, to questions about reduced hours or availability of sick time at work, if necessary, during treatment.

Resources for Financial Planning

CATIE has a great guide filled with resources of possible leads to support during hepatitis C treatment.

CATIE – Listing of financial resources for treatment costs in BC

Also, Pacific Hepatitis C Network‘s online resource directory has listings of provincial organizations that can assist people with the details of accessing treatment (including the financial forms side of things)

Talk with your healthcare provider about other financial supports that may be available. Below are a few places to start.

BC PharmaCare Covered Treatments

For residents of British Columbia: BC Ministry of Health Special Authority Request Forms for financial coverage of PharmaCare Covered Treatments.

Private Health Insurance

If you have private health insurance, consult with a representative from the company to find out specific coverage details for hep C treatments. Most insurance companies, like Blue Cross, follow the provincial PharmaCare coverage guidelines, but check individual policies for details.

Pharmaceutical Company Assistance

Pharmaceutical companies also have Financial Assistance programs for people undergoing their specific treatments. For more information on these programs, check out the links below, call the numbers provided, or talk with your healthcare provider about eligibility requirements:

AbbVie Care Canadians prescribed Holkira Pak (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir) or Technivie (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir) can request to be enrolled in AbbVie Care. The program is designed to provide a wide range of customized services including reimbursement assistance, education, and ongoing disease management support. AbbVie Care will not only support people living with hepatitis C throughout their treatment but healthcare professionals as well. For more information, contact your doctor, nurse, or call the program at: 1-844-471-2273.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada’s CLAIRE Program Canadians prescribed Daklinza (daclatasvir), Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), and in some cases ribavirin, can request to be enrolled in the CLAIRE patient support program. The CLAIRE patient support program was designed to help patients seek coverage and provide access to a customized list of services. It was designed so that one person will take care of each patient through the program’s duration. For more information, contact your doctor, nurse, or contact the program at: 1-844-HCV-2559 (phone number), 1-844-FAX-2559 (fax number), [email protected] (email address).

Gilead’s Momentum Patient Assistance Program Canadians prescribed Harvoni  (ledipasvir and sofosbuvir), Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), or Epclusa (sofosbuvir / velpatasvir), have the opportunity to request to be enrolled in the Gilead Momentum Program. For more information, contact your doctor, nurse, or call the program at: 1-855-447-7977.

Ibavyr Patient Support Program Canadians prescribed ribavirin (Ibavyr) as part of their hep C treatment have the opportunity to request to be enrolled in the Ibavyr Patient Support Program. For more information, contact your doctor, nurse, or call the program at: 1-844-602-6858.

Janssen’s Galexos: Bioadvance Program Janssen Inc. has created the Galexos: Bioadvance Program, which is a patient support program designed to provide patient health information and reimbursement assistance for patients who have been prescribed Galexos (simeprevir). This specialized patient support program represents a service offered at no cost to the patient and is fully confidential. For more information , contact your doctor, nurse, or call the program at: 1-855-512-3740.

Merck Care Program For those who are prescribed Zepatier or pegylated interferon and ribavirin (Pegasys) there is Merck Care Program. For more information, contact your doctor, nurse, or call the program at: 1-866-872-5773.

PEGAssist Patient Support Program
Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. offers this patient assistance program for people who have been prescribed pegylated interferon (Pegasys) as part of their hepatitis C treatment. For more information, contact your doctor, nurse, or call the program at: 1-877-734-2797.

Non-Insured Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit

There are a number of health-related goods and services that are not insured by provinces and territories or other private insurance plans. To support First Nations people and Inuit in reaching an overall health status that is comparable with other Canadians, Health Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program provides coverage for a limited range of these goods and services when they are not insured elsewhere. Their number in BC is 604-666-3331 or 1-800-317-7878 (toll-free).

Our Non-Insured Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit page includes more information about the hep C treatments that may be covered by this program.

International Patient Assistance Programs

HCV Resource Links is a database of links for patient assistance programs in various countries, including Canada.

Financial Support and Clinical Trials

For people who are enrolled in clinical trials, there is some limited financial support, to offset costs associated with being a participant in a clinical trial. It’s important to note that companies mostly cover costs such as travel expenses, and do not cover other living costs.

Ask the study coordinator for details on what expenses can be covered by the clinical trial.

For additional information about financial information and clinical trials, contact the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre at 604-642-6429. VIDC coordinates many clinical trials, and can provide information and support for people involved in studies.

Financial Support for 1986 – 1990 Claimants

If you received tainted blood or blood products and are a registered claimant of the Hepatitis C (HCV) 1986-1990 Class Actions Settlement now is a great time to speak to your doctor about funding within the Class Action for new HCV treatments. More information can be found on the Canadian Hemophilia Society’s website.

Contact us at [email protected] for more information.

The information on this website is meant as a resource only and is not intended to replace qualified medical attention. Please seek advise and guidance from your health practitioners when considering your hep C treatment options.