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The Take- Home Cancer Drug Fund is a fund available through the Nova Scotia Health Authority's Cancer Care Program. The fund helps patients who are faced with very high costs for their take home cancer drugs.
Contact
Patients should talk to their cancer care provider to find out more about the fund. Patients may also contact the Fund Coordinator at 1-866-599-2267, option 3.
How does it work?
To access this fund, patients must:
- Be a Nova Scotia resident with a valid Nova Scotia Health Card.
- Be taking cancer drugs at home.
- Have accessed all other sources of financial assistance available, including private, public, and manufacturer assistant programs.
- Have out-of-pocket expenses for eligible take-home cancer drugs greater than 4% of net family income, found on line 236 of the Canada Revenue Agency’s Notice of Assessment.
For example, a patient with a net family income of $30,000 will not pay more than $1,200 out-of-pocket each year for approved take-home cancer drugs. - Register with the Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare Program.
Cancer patient navigators, social workers and medication resource specialists will help patients access these programs. A coordinator will answer questions and provide support related to the fund.
What drugs are covered by this fund?
This fund covers drugs that are used to treat cancer (chemotherapy, hormonal therapies and immunotherapies). Only drugs that are publicly insured by the Pharmacare Programs are covered by this fund. The Nova Scotia Formulary provides details about Pharmacare drug coverage and clinical criteria
Supportive care drugs such as anti-nausea and pain drugs are not covered. These drugs may be covered by insurance, including public drug plans such as the Family Pharmacare Program. The new fund does not provide support for cancer treatments that are not covered by the Nova Scotia Pharmacare Programs or when a patient does not meet the Pharmacare funding criteria.
How is a patient’s income calculated?
Patients who use this fund must give proof of family income. Help is based on net family income shown on line 236 of the Canada Revenue Agency’s Notice of Assessment. If your family income is a lot less now than what is shown on your Notice of Assessment, other sources of proof may be used. The fund coordinator can explain what else you can use to prove your income if your Notice of Assessment is out of date.
When will the fund be accessible to patients?
The fund is available as of February 2018.
How do patients access this new fund?
Cancer patient navigators, social workers, and medication resource specialists will help you access this new fund. A coordinator will provide support to staff and patients (1-866-599-2267, option 3.)