Value for Services Toolkit

Pharmacists are well positioned to deliver more accessible, high quality, cost-effective care to Canadians. Over the past number of years, governments across Canada have expanded the services that pharmacists can deliver to patients. It has been proven that by providing these services, pharmacists are able to deliver better and more accessible care to patients, while saving employers and employees both time and money

However, because expansion of pharmacists’ services is a relatively new development, most private health care plans in Canada do not cover the costs associated with provision of these services. In order to realize the benefits that expanded pharmacist provided services can accrue to employers, employees, and the overall health care system, this website has been designed to provide third party payers with the background, the research, and the tools they need to extend private plans to cover expanded pharmacist-provided services. Extending private health care plans to cover expanded pharmacist-provider services makes good business sense and good health sense.

Watch this video to learn more about pharmacist-provided services

What new services can pharmacists perform, and why should private payers care?

Many Canadians, including many people who have private health insurance, are still unaware of the services that pharmacists are able to offer. Furthermore, many payers of these services are unaware of the advantages and return on investment to be gained from pharmacists providing these services. The following articles describe a number of the new services that pharmacists can now provide, and explains how a typical patient would access those services. In addition, each article also summarizes the latest in academic research that demonstrates the value of each particular service.

Jurisdictional differences

Pharmacists’ scope of practice is a provincial/territorial jurisdiction in Canada. As such, each province and territory has a different service framework and different funding framework. The following chart identifies which jurisdiction has implemented regulatory approval for which service:

For each Canadian jurisdiction, this chart demonstrates the public compensation plan for each service. Note that each jurisdiction has different public policies and different funding levels regarding compensation.

Options to extend health plans to cover pharmacist services

There are several options for how private health plans can fund these services. Here are several real-life options and examples of private insurance policies that cover expanded pharmacy services.

Would you like expanded pharmacist services in your health plan? Ask For It!

Most private health care plans in Canada do not include coverage for non-dispensing pharmacist-provided services. If employees want to realize the health and well-being benefits of pharmacist services, and if employers want to realize the productivity and employee satisfaction gains to be realized from pharmacist provided services, they need to ASK FOR IT! The services covered under a private health plan are often the result of demand from employees and employers. If you want these services covered, you need to ask your employer, your union, and/or your carrier to extend coverage.

Download the ASK FOR IT document

More Information

If you want more information on pharmacy services, options for third party payer coverage of services or any other topic, please contact us:

Canadian Pharmacists Association
851 Industrial Avenue
Mailbox M035
Ottawa, ON K1G 4L3
1-800-917-9489 (toll free)
service@pharmacists.ca