Since 2017, the number of people in the province who can benefit from prescription drug coverage under the ODB program has nearly doubled to cover close to 60 per cent of the population. This includes four million children and youth, over two million seniors and more than one million people on social assistance.
Building on the success of OHIP+, in this Budget, Ontario is taking the next steps to expand access to, and improve the affordability of, prescription drugs.
Starting in August 2019, OHIP+ will be expanded to seniors, eliminating the annual deductible and co‐payment for seniors under the ODB program — saving the average senior approximately $240 annually. Seniors’ prescription medications funded through the ODB program will be free‐ofcharge, regardless of income. This represents an investment of about $575 million per year by 2020–21.
Much like the leadership role the Province played in enhancing the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Ontario is leading the way in national pharmacare by expanding OHIP+ to seniors. The government continues to work collaboratively with its federal, provincial and territorial partners to improve the affordability, accessibility and appropriate use of prescription drugs for Canadians. See Chapter IV, Section B: Working with Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Partners for more details.
Building on the success of OHIP+, in this Budget, Ontario is taking the next steps to expand access to, and improve the affordability of, prescription drugs.
Starting in August 2019, OHIP+ will be expanded to seniors, eliminating the annual deductible and co‐payment for seniors under the ODB program — saving the average senior approximately $240 annually. Seniors’ prescription medications funded through the ODB program will be free‐ofcharge, regardless of income. This represents an investment of about $575 million per year by 2020–21.
Much like the leadership role the Province played in enhancing the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Ontario is leading the way in national pharmacare by expanding OHIP+ to seniors. The government continues to work collaboratively with its federal, provincial and territorial partners to improve the affordability, accessibility and appropriate use of prescription drugs for Canadians. See Chapter IV, Section B: Working with Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Partners for more details.