BristolUK

Manitoba has a pharmacare scheme. This is possibly another of those situations where people think something is available but it's not for them. It's available for anyone whose drug costs are more than they can afford. There may be situations where other people in the household have their income taken as part of an assessment and that's obviously wrong but if the costs of the prescriptions and supplies are high enough, it might not make a difference. Of course there might not be other people in the house.

That kind of catastrophic drugs program I described in the other thread may help more than people think. It can also cover things like test strips as well as the drugs. For that period we qualified for, and remember NB is poorer than most, test strips, needles, meter, lancets, insulin were all covered in full.

There's only one way of knowing and that's to apply.

scrubbedexpat091

Looks like there is a deductible to be met before any coverage kicks in, so if someone is that hard up for cash, they may not be able to meet their deductible so it's effectively not useful for them.

BristolUK

That's possible but it's also possible that more people can afford something but not everything.

One 'advantage' of that sort of scheme is that some expenses are allowed for that would not be allowed for in social assistance.

Using an example I read somewhere of someone on SA of $700 a month and a room rent of $500, that person has $200 a month for general expenses. They would qualify for maximum drug coverage.

Someone similar, at the same rooming house but say with a P/T job might have a net income of $900, appearing to be $200 a month better off.
But when reporting their expenses they could list, say, rent @$500, internet/phone/tv $100, food $200, leaving them with $100.
If their prescription costs exceed that $100, they cannot afford them and they will qualify for some coverage.

It varies across the provinces. NB did include internet/tv/phone. They had their own guidance levels for food but they also allowed other costs - vitamins, travel costs like fares to supermarket, medical appointments (including taxi if you could justify that rather than the bus), life insurance premiums....all kinds of stuff was looked at. Let's face it, you have prescriptions so you're being treated for something and that means medical expenses that are outside the norm.

As I say, the only way of knowing is to apply and put absolutely every expense down. There are ways - legitimate ones - of being creative

scrubbedexpat091

If on assistance in BC one won't qualify for pharmacare as they are excluded from the program, however those on assistance or disability do receive extended medical coverage which covers many but not all prescriptions and for covered RX its 100% with no deductible and covers the filling fee as well, of course not all medications are covered under the plan which can be problematic if prescribed something expensive and it's not covered which happened to me a couple times last year. and also why I don't fill the psoriasis cream doctors like to prescribe, it's not covered last I saw, and while not super expensive, it's still not low cost enough to justify getting it, but luckily my psoriasis isn't that bad, and tolerable, and I don't really feel I need to use a medicated cream for it, oddly the scalp treatment which is the same drug but in liquid form is covered. I have had a few puffers not covered as well, but luckily the basic type is covered, just not as effective as the non-covered ones, but eh still works enough.

scrubbedexpat091

Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been arrested in Winnipeg at the request of the US, he has been indicted on 9 counts on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and related crimes.

His lawyer has asked for a publication ban, which Scott Farlinger, representing the Attorney General of Canada opposes.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...tody-1.5841839

BristolUK

New Brunswick family creates plastic bubble for son's self-isolation

caretaker

"An unidentified flying object, or UFO, was reported over Saskatchewan earlier this month after a pilot travelling from Fairbanks, Ala., to Minneapolis, Minn., spotted something they could not identify while flying over the province."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...ting-1.6042901

caretaker

If fruit growers in the southern Okanagan can't find people to pick their cherries, they're going to have to let some of them rot on the trees. The cherries, not the people.
https://www.timeschronicle.ca/cherry...e-for-pickers/

scrubbedexpat091

They said the same last year.

caretaker

Yes, and the fruit rotted and prices went up, profits went down. The same thing will probably happen to a lot of crops in the Okanagan this year.
Cherries are real finicky; if they're ripe and it rains they swell up and split and they're compost. Foreign workers are a major factor here. 40 and 50 years ago there were enough young people coming out from Quebec to do the job, but not for a long time.

scrubbedexpat091

Oh man this will royally suck for Pt. Roberts if the grocery store does indeed close, its the only grocery store in town.

https://www.king5.com/article/news/p...a-6b91baddac33

scrubbedexpat091

Cherries seem to be a right pain of as crop to grow. Watched a few videos on it.

When I was still working at the airport we had some cherry express flights, so many cherries go to China and Hong Kong, only a couple week with window but so many cherries we had to load, could fill the entire forward bin on a 777 with nothing but cherries.

caretaker

Prime Minister and Premier headed out to Cowessess to sign a landmark childcare agreement, and Lance in the back row just couldn't help himself.

BristolUK

The Santa Parade from last year was cancelled so he's visiting Moncton with his float (Christmas Lights included) this weekend, July 24th.

https://www.919thebend.ca/2021/07/20/105765/

spouse of scouse

The kids (big and little!) will love that