• Birth control, or contraception, is any method that prevents pregnancy.
• Prescription birth control does not prevent sexually transmitted and blood borne infections.
• Any individuals who do not wish to become pregnant should consider using birth control.

• The MPBCP provides free birth control to individuals who have an active Manitoba Health Card who are not eligible for 100 per cent coverage through federal or other provincial drug programs. Clients enrolled in the Manitoba Pharmacare program, or eligible to enroll in the Manitoba Pharmacare Program, are eligible for MPBCP.
• The MPBCP covers oral contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormonal implants, emergency contraceptives and contraceptive injections.
• The full product list and additional information can be found at: MPBCP website
• Non-prescription birth-control, such as condoms, cervical caps, diaphragms and sponges are not included in the MPBCP. These items may be available free of charge through existing community health clinics (e.g., Teen Health Clinics; Women’s Health Clinic). See GetSomeCondoms.com to find free products in your region or connect with your regional public health office.

1. Get a prescription from a doctor, a nurse practitioner or another authorized prescriber, at, for example, your regular clinic or a walk-in clinic.
   • Request a product that MPBCP covers. All covered products are listed here: MPBCP - Covered Contraceptives
   • To switch to a different type of birth control, for example from the pill to an IUD, talk to a doctor, a nurse practitioner or another authorized prescriber.
   • Health care providers will continue to support Manitobans in determining which prescription birth control options are best suited to them.
2. Present the prescription and your Manitoba Health Card at a pharmacy.
   • The pharmacist will ask if you have 100 per cent coverage through federal or other provincial drug programs. If so, payment for your prescription will be processed through your existing federal or provincial drug program rather than the MPBCP.
   • If you are prescribed a hormonal IUD, implant or injection, you will need to arrange a visit to a doctor or clinic to have it inserted/administered. Copper IUDs must be ordered directly through your health care provider.
3. The pharmacist will dispense your prescription.
   • The MPBCP covers the cost of the drug and fee for dispensing the prescription.

• To get free contraceptives through MPBCP, you need to have an active Manitoba Health Card.
• For more information on eligibility for Manitoba Health coverage and how to register, visit Register for a Manitoba Health Card
• Access to free/low-cost birth control (without the requirement of an active Manitoba Health Card) will continue through community health clinics and teen clinics.

If you are eligible under the MPBCP and you purchase an eligible product out of pocket in another province/territory, you can submit a claim to Manitoba Health for reimbursement.

• If you submit a claim under MPBCP and you and/or the specific products you purchased are not eligible for MPBCP coverage, you will not be reimbursed.
• Claims must be submitted within six months of date of purchase.
• Claims must include the client’s full name, Manitoba Health Registration Number, and original, official pharmacy receipts.
• MPBCP reimbursement requests must be submitted to:
  
  Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care
  Non-Insured Benefits
  300 Carlton Street
  Winnipeg, Manitoba
  R3B 3M9

There are no age restrictions for MPBCP.

No, Pharmacare deductibles do not apply under MPBCP.

• Manitobans who already have provincial or federal birth control coverage such as Manitoba’s Employment Income Assistance Program (EIA) or Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefit Program (NIHB) should continue to access prescription birth control through these programs.
• Clients enrolled in the Manitoba Pharmacare program, or eligible to enroll in the Manitoba Pharmacare Program, are eligible for MPBCP.
• Manitobans without coverage through another provincial or federal drug program are eligible for MPBCP, even if they have private insurance coverage.

Individuals living or working in Manitoba who do not have an active Manitoba Health Card or coverage through a federal program can continue to access free or low-cost birth control through:

• Post-secondary health centers or community health clinics
• Third party (private) health insurance.

See GetSomeCondoms.com or connect with your local public health office to find free non-prescription birth control in your region.

The MPBCP will not cover any prescription birth control purchased before October 1, 2024.

Yes, eligible products will be covered regardless of the reason for the prescription.

• Research shows that cost is one of the main barriers to prescription birth control.
• Access to free prescription birth control has been shown to reduce health care costs long-term.

Contact AskHealth for more information.

Manitoba has introduced a new IUD stream to support access to copper IUDs through the MPBCP. Your health care provider can now order a copper IUDs for you through MPBCP. Copper IUDs dispensed through community pharmacies cannot be covered through MPBCP at this time.

Any purchases of copper IUDs from a pharmacy are not eligible for reimbursement. Health care providers must order copper IUDs directly through the program for MPBCP coverage.

• For coverage under MPBCP, a prescription is required (whether issued by a physician, nurse practitioner, pharmacist or other authorized prescriber).
• Clients with a prescription for emergency contraceptives can visit the pharmacy counter, request the medication and have it covered under the program.
• If you do not already have a prescription, the pharmacist may write one and enter it into their pharmacy system so that your products can be covered by MPBCP. It is possible that the pharmacist may charge a fee for this service (which is not currently covered under the MPBCP).

MPBCP covers the cost of the medication and the dispensing fee up to three times per fiscal year (from April to April). If you've been prescribed a brand name emergency contraceptive where generic versions are available, the MPBCP will cover the cost of the medication up to the price of the generic version. You can still purchase emergency contraceptive pills out of pocket if you need them more than three times in a year.

Medications covered under MPBCP, including emergency contraceptive pills, are recorded in your medical record. Your medical record is confidential.

Clients who prefer to access emergency contraceptive pills anonymously without a prescription continue to have the options of purchasing the medication over the counter at their own cost (no reimbursement available) or attending a community health clinic or teen clinic in their region (e.g., Women’s Health Clinic, Youville, Mount Carmel Clinic) to obtain the medication at no cost.

If you were given a prescription by a health care provider, another authorized individual may pick up your medication on your behalf from the pharmacy. If you do not already have a prescription for emergency contraceptive pills, contact your pharmacy for guidance.

• The MPBCP provides free birth control to individuals who have an active Manitoba Health Card who are not eligible for 100 per cent coverage through federal or other provincial drug programs.
• Clients enrolled in the Manitoba Pharmacare program, or eligible to enroll in the Manitoba Pharmacare Program, are eligible for MPBCP.
• The MPBCP covers most oral contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormonal implants and contraceptive injections.
• The full product list and additional information can be found at:
  • MPBCP website
  • Information for Health Professionals
• Non-prescription birth control, such as condoms, cervical caps, diaphragms and sponges are not included in the MPBCP. These items may be available free of charge through existing community health clinics. See GetSomeCondoms.com or connect with your local public health office to find free products in your region.

Yes, Manitobans seeking birth control for an indication other than contraception are still able to access these medications for free.

1. Health care providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners and other authorized prescribers provide the prescription for a covered product to their client.
   • Note: Clients prescribed a hormonal IUD, implant or injection will need to arrange a follow-up visit to have it inserted/administered. Health care providers will need to order copper IUDs directly for their clients through the Materials Distribution Agency (MDA) following the process outlined here.
2. Clients will present their prescription for a covered product and their Manitoba Health Card at a pharmacy.
   • The pharmacist will ask if they have other 100 per cent coverage through federal (e.g. Non-Insured Health Benefit Program) or other provincial drug programs (e.g. Employment Income Assistance). If so, payment for the prescription will be processed through the other drug program rather than the MPBCP.
3. The pharmacist will dispense the prescription.
   • The MPBCP covers the cost of the drug and fee for dispensing the prescription as detailed in the Claims Submission Procedure – MPBCP, available here: Information for Health Professionals.

• Pharmacies can contact the DPIN Helpdesk at 204-786-8000 or toll free at 1-800-663-7774 and select option 2.
• Note: Claims will only be accepted starting October 1, 2024.

Yes, pharmacies may charge a maximum $14 professional fee for medications dispensed through MPBCP, or the pharmacy’s Usual and Customary (U&C) Fee, whichever is lower.

• Oral contraceptive medications
  • MPBCP will cover a maximum of one professional fee per three months.
    • Note – this does not apply to other contraceptive medications such as IUDs, implants, etc.
  • This does not prevent or restrict any pharmacy from dispensing any product, including oral contraceptive medications dispensed and covered under MPBCP, more frequently than once every three months.
  • If a pharmacy dispenses less than a three-month supply of oral contraceptives, the pharmacy must split the professional fee such that no more than one professional fee is claimed per three months.
• Please review the Claims Submission Procedure – MPBCP for details.

Pharmacies may determine how to best implement this documentation requirement. This functionality cannot be built into DPIN.

Birth control products covered under MPBCP are covered up to the cost of the lowest generic in a category as set out in the Manitoba Drug Interchangeability Formulary.

Program information, including a Frequently Asked Questions - for People Living in Manitoba is available here: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/contraceptives.html

• For health care providers to obtain copper IUDs at no charge for their clients, providers will first need to register their clinic (physical location) with Health Seniors, and Long-Term Care (HSLTC) at the following link: IUD Ordering Registration Form.
• Once registered, HSLTC will provide the registrar, via email, with a Materials Distribution Agency (MDA) client number. The MDA client number is used to bill HSLTC directly for all costs incurred with the ordering of copper IUDs including the shipping.
• Once registered, health care providers can order copper IUDs directly from MDA using the Non SAP Materials Requisition Form.
• Health care providers must list their clinic information as the shipping location.
• Health care providers may order copper IUDs to have “on-hand”. However, stockpiling is not recommended. Orders over five (5) units will be subject to review and may not be approved.
• Delivery can be expected within seven to ten business days.

• Copper IUDs dispensed through community pharmacies cannot be covered through MPBCP at this time. Health care providers must order copper IUDs directly from MDA for MPBCP coverage.
• Hormonal IUDs continue to be available and covered through pharmacies and may be added for direct ordering through MDA at a future date.

Yes, registration for copper IUDs is by location not health care provider. Health, Seniors and Long-Term encourages health care providers to coordinate the ordering of copper IUDs to ensure a sufficient supply is available at the clinic, but stockpiling is not occurring.

• Emergency contraceptive pills can be purchased over the counter without a prescription. However, to process a claim through the Drug Program Information Network (DPIN) for coverage under MPBCP, a prescription is required (whether issued by a physician, nurse practitioner, pharmacist or other authorized prescriber).
• For coverage under MPBCP, a claim must be entered into DPIN. This means that the medication will be recorded in the client’s DPIN history.

• If clients attend the pharmacy without a prescription, they have the option to:
• Obtain a covered product free of charge after the pharmacist enters information into their medical record (a prescription). It is possible that the pharmacist may charge the client a fee for this service (which is not currently covered under the MPBCP).
• Pay out of pocket for the medication. In this case the pharmacist is not required to enter information into the client’s medical record.

For emergency contraceptive pills, MPBCP covers the cost of the medication and up to a $14 dispensing/professional fee per client up to a maximum of three times per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31). If prescribed a brand name product where generic versions are available, MPBCP will cover the cost of the medication up to the price of the generic version, per the Manitoba Drug Interchangeability Formulary). Additional emergency contraceptive pills can be purchased out of pocket if needed more than three times in a year.

Eligible clients who purchase eligible emergency contraceptive pills in another Canadian province or territory can submit their original, official pharmacy receipt to Manitoba Health for reimbursement up to the cost of the lowest cost interchangeable product on the Manitoba Drug Interchangeability Formulary. Additional details are available on the MPBCP webpage.

Clients who prefer to access emergency contraceptive pills anonymously without a prescription continue to have the choice of purchasing the medication over the counter at their own cost (no reimbursement available) or attending a community health clinic or teen clinic in their region (e.g., Women’s Health Clinic, Youville, Mount Carmel Clinic) to obtain the medication at no cost.