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Overview
Prescription drugs provided during care received in hospitals, auxiliary hospitals and nursing homes are covered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP).
Many Albertans have insurance coverage for prescription drugs provided through private supplementary health plans sponsored by their employers. Others have coverage through publicly funded plans.
- All Albertans are encouraged to have a supplementary health plan that covers prescription drugs.
In addition to supplementary health benefits, the Alberta government provides some specialized drug coverage and pharmacy services.
Outpatient cancer drugs
The Outpatient Cancer Drug Benefit Program provides select medications used in the direct treatment of cancer to patients at no cost.
To qualify for this program, you must:
- be a resident of Alberta
- be registered with the AHCIP and have not opted out of the plan
- be registered in the Cancer Registry with a disease classified in the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology
- require drugs to treat cancer
The Schedule of Cancer Drugs defines the drug products covered by the Outpatient Cancer Drug Benefit Program.
- Read the Cancer Drugs Schedule
High cost drugs
The Specialized High Cost Drug Program provides funding for drugs used in highly specialized procedures, such as organ transplants and major heart surgeries. This Program is available to all Albertans in addition to basic health services.
To qualify for this program, you must:
- be a resident of Alberta
- be registered with the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan and have not opted out of the plan
- require an eligible high cost drug to treat an eligible medical condition specified in the program
The Specialized High Cost Drug Program provides for high cost drugs such as:
- transplant drugs – transplant patients are eligible for immunosuppressants
- HIV drugs – drugs for the treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are dispensed through the Southern and Northern Alberta Clinics
- other drugs funded include:
- Pulmozyme – for cystic fibrosis
- human growth hormone – for pediatric growth hormone deficiency and chronic renal failure
- Flolan – for primary pulmonary hypertension
- Visudyne – for the classic form of wet age-related macular degeneration
Insulin pump therapy
The Insulin Pump Therapy Program (IPTP) is designed to support Alberta residents living with type 1 or type 3c diabetes.
Albertans who meet the eligibility and clinical criteria will be able to receive coverage for the cost of an insulin pump and its supplies as well as other diabetes management supplies.
On July 21, 2022, the Alberta government announced it will set up a diabetes working group to develop a comprehensive diabetes strategy for the province.
Read the news release: Securing the future for diabetes care for Albertans (July 21, 2022)
The Government of Alberta has reached agreements with the following insulin pump manufacturers: Medtronic, Ypsomed, Insulet, and Tandem.
Newer pump models have been added to the Insulin Pump Therapy Program and eligible Albertans can obtain them subject to stock availability and manufacturer operational requirements as they ramp up their capacity to provide these benefits.
The program now includes the following pumps and their supplies:
Retina treatment
The Alberta Retinal Treatment Program (ARTP) replaces the pilot Retina Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Program for Intraocular Disease (RAPID) on October 1, 2025, through Ministerial Order 30/2025. This new permanent program will continue to help Albertans with retinal conditions receive improved access to eye care and provide drug treatment at no cost.
The new permanent program provides Albertans with access to more:
- drug treatment choices
- ophthalmologists
- locations to obtain care
Treatment
The new program allows patients with certain eye conditions to be treated with Avastin, Lucentis, Eylea/Eylea HD, Vabysmo and Triesence to prevent vision loss.
The full cost of all ARTP drugs is paid for by the Alberta government with no co-payments. This saves patients $35 per treatment or up to $420 per year.
Patients and physicians may choose any of the drugs eligible under the program. All program participants, regardless of which drug they use, are monitored for safety and effectiveness of their treatment.
Patients must receive treatment directly from an ophthalmologist registered with the program. Speak with your ophthalmologist about the ARTP.
This new program expands access by directly including providers from across Alberta.
Program providers
Find a participating ophthalmologist in your area:
Disease control and prevention
Under the authority of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Alberta Health Services Communicable Disease Control program is responsible for the public health prevention and control of communicable diseases, which are notifiable under the Communicable Disease Regulations of the Public Health Act of Alberta.
Public health strategies to control notifiable communicable diseases include:
- preventing infection through education or preventative medicine, including immunization
- minimizing transmission of infection through prompt investigation and follow-up of notifiable communicable diseases incidents and implementation of protective measures
- providing epidemiologic data for reporting and public health response measures
- continuous monitoring and surveillance of communicable disease incidences in the community to quickly identify and respond to emerging illnesses or outbreaks of disease
Prescription drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis and sexually transmitted disease are provided at no charge to the patient.
Contact
Connect with us:
- for benefits and claims, contact Alberta Blue Cross
- comments or questions, contact the Alberta government
Address:
Pharmaceutical and Health Benefits
Pharmaceutical and Supplementary Benefits Division
Primary and Preventative Health Services
11th Floor ATB Place North
10025 Jasper Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 2N3