BC is now the first province to expand universal health coverage to cover medications used in treating opioid use disorder.
Through Plan Z, medications used for Opioid agonist treatment will be covered for those with an active medical services plan.
Differing from safe supply, the treatment uses medications, such as methadone, to prevent withdrawal and lower opioid cravings.
According to the province, from 2021 to 2022, 34,520 patients utilized those medications.
Now, effective June 6, 2023, the province estimates that 1,638 patients who pay for those medications will be fully covered.
Minister of Mental Health Jennifer Whiteside says that removing those cost barriers will help more people stabilize their lives and prevent deaths due to illicit drugs.
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