If you are leaving BC there are few things you can do to prepare to ensure you have a healthy and safe trip away from home. 

Fill Your Prescriptions Before Leaving

Make sure you have enough medications for the duration of your trip. Your pharmacy benefit provides coverage for a travel supply. Contact your pharmacists once your travel plans are confirmed and they will work with you to ensure you have the medications you need. 

Health Benefits Coverage

Health Benefits will cover eligible items and services purchased or received in another province, but regular benefit policies will apply. (For more about what's covered, see Coverage Details.) Please note that you will likely have to pay for the item or service out-of-pocket and then request reimbursement. 

Out of Province Pharmacy Reimbursements

If you need to pay out of pocket for your medication, you can request reimbursement for eligible benefit items. It is recommended that you or your pharmacist contact Health Benefits before you pay out of pocket for your prescription, to confirm if the drug is eligible for reimbursement.

Reimbursement requests for eligible pharmacy items filled outside of BC should be mailed to PharmaCare. Submit all original itemized receipts and prescriptions with the PharmaCare Out-of-Province Client Reimbursement Form. Mail requests to:

Health Insurance BC
PO BOX 9684 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, BC V8W 9P7 

Consider Travel Insurance

The British Columbia Medical Service Plan (MSP) provides limited coverage to BC residents travelling outside of the province or country. You may also want to consider additional health insurance. For more information about MSP coverage outside BC, visit the MSP website. 

Urgent Coverage Issues

If you have any questions about your coverage while travelling, please contact the health benefits team at 1-855-550-5454 from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. PST.​​