Alberta to increase drug co-pay by $10 over a 10-month period

Earlier this week, Alberta announced that they would be increasing the maximum prescription drug copayments for seniors and Albertans with Non-Group Coverage $25 to $35 per prescription. Starting July 1, 2025, co-payments will increase by $1 a month until it reaches $35 on April 1, 2026. This is the first increase since 1994 and the province says the increase is to “address rising costs and ensure coverage can continue to be provided in the years to come.” Approximately 760,000 Albertans aged 65 and older are currently covered under the province’s public plan—that number is expected to almost double to 1.4 million seniors by 2051. About 75,000 Albertans have Non-Group Coverage. The cost of administering this program will increase by about $194 million by 2026-27. The program cost $1.3 billion in 2023-24According to the province, even after the co-pay increase, seniors in Alberta will still pay less than other provinces. Public drug coverage in Alberta covers about 40.1% of all costs towards prescription drugs in the province, behind just Ontario (at 40.8%). “Providing Albertans with coverage for their prescription drugs ensures they have access to necessary medications,” says Alberta’s Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services Adriana LaGrange in a statement. “But drug coverage costs are rising, and we need to take steps to address the cost. This change will help keep those costs in check, maintain a fair and balanced cost sharing approach, and allow the government to continue offering this important coverage.”The Alberta New Democrat Shadow Minister for Health Sarah Hoffman responded to the increase on Wednesday, opposing the change. “Increasing the cost of medications doesn’t improve healthcare or make things more affordable—it does the exact opposite,” she said. “Because this increase is per prescription, more seniors will be forced into making a choice—medicine or food, or rent, or insurance, or utilities bills, all of which have increased in cost due to this incompetent and cruel UCP government. In the end senior’s health will suffer, they will need more care because they can’t afford medication, and the added strain on the entire healthcare system will impact all Albertans.”Under the current co-payment structure, about 18% of Non-Group Coverage participants are charged the maximum, and just 5% of seniors are currently charged the maximum. Eligible low-income seniors can apply for financial assistance for their co-payments through the Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program. Right now, the average co-payment for Albertans with Non-group Coverage is $11.70 per prescription and $8.44 per prescription for seniors—the province anticipates that these averages will increase to $14.31 and $9.87 respectively.

Alberta to increase drug co-pay by $10 over a 10-month period

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics