Ontario becomes first province to cover drug prescriptions for children and youth

Medication on a shelf. (File photo)

Prescription medications are now free for everyone under the age of 25 in Ontario.

As of Jan. 1, the province has made the biggest expansion to medicare in Ontario in a generation, providing drug coverage to over four million children and youth across the province.

Government officials say the launch of OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare is a national milestone as Ontario becomes the first province to provide prescription drug coverage to children and youth.

Premier Kathleen Wynne was in downtown Toronto to celebrate this national milestone with some of the young people and parents who now have access to over 4,400 medicines, completely free of charge.

Some of the now publicly funded prescriptions include depression and anxiety medications, insulin and diabetic test strips, antibiotics, asthma inhalers and birth control pills.

Coverage will be automatic for children and youth with an OHIP card and a valid prescription. There will be no upfront costs, no co-pays and no strings attached.

Ontario is the first province to provide prescription medication coverage at no cost for all children and youth under 25 who are OHIP-insured.

An estimated 1.2 million people in Ontario without drug coverage will benefit from OHIP+, according to a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada.