Pincher Creek pharmacist, seniors concerned as Alberta raises prescription drug co-pay cap

By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Alberta’s recent decision to raise the maximum co-payment for prescription drugs under its seniors and non-group health benefit plans could leave many Pincher Creek residents, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, feeling the financial strain.

Starting July 1, the province has increased the co-payment cap by $1 per month for 10 months, rising from the current maximum of $25 to $35 per prescription by April 2026.

It’s the first such increase since 1994, and the province says it is needed to offset rising drug program costs, which topped $1.3 billion in 2023-24. That cost of providing coverage to Albertans is projected to rise by $194 million by 2026-27, notes a June 10 government press release.

Had the cap kept pace with inflation, seniors would now be paying about $48 per prescription, it adds.

Amber Shepherd, a pharmacist who has worked in Pincher Creek for the past three years, said many of her patients rely on these plans and the gradual $10 increase may present a challenge for them.

“If they are on a fixed income, it is obviously going to be difficult for them to incorporate the increase,” Shepherd told Shootin’ the Breeze. “If they are on a lot of high-cost items, it will be a substantial increase.”

Alberta’s Coverage for Seniors and Non-Group Coverage programs pay 70 per cent of eligible prescription drug costs, while patients cover 30 per cent, up to the current $25 cap.

Many won’t notice an immediate change; only those whose prescriptions already reach the $25 limit will be affected.

“If someone’s co-pay is normally just a few dollars, they won’t notice a change in the price,” Shepherd explained. “It’s only if they’re paying currently $25, which is the maximum co-pay, that co-pay is being increased.”

The average co-payment currently sits at $8.44 for those on Coverage for Seniors and $11.30 for Non-Group Coverage participants. By April 2026, those figures are expected to rise to $9.87 and $14.31, respectively.

According to the province, only about five per cent of seniors and 18 per cent of non-group participants currently hit the $25 cap.

However, Shepherd said Pincher Creek’s demographic includes many older adults and people managing chronic conditions including diabetes, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who often require multiple prescriptions and frequent refills.

“I see diabetic patients every day,” she said. “This kind of change could definitely limit some patients who are on high-cost medications.”

Shepherd fears the increase may lead some residents to delay or avoid filling prescriptions due to affordability concerns. To help reduce the financial burden, she encourages patients to speak with their pharmacists about options, such as asking doctors about prescriptions that allow for 100-day supplies, which can reduce how often co-pays are incurred, she noted as an example.

“That way they will only have to pay no more than three or four times a year,” Shepherd said.

She is also urging patients to check their eligibility for the Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program, which provides financial aid to low-income seniors struggling with co-pays. Applications can be made through the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992.

Shepherd also welcomed those who wanted guidance in applying for these programs.

“It’s not something the pharmacy handles directly, but if someone needs help navigating it, we can point them in the right direction,” she said.

To keep patients informed, her pharmacy has already begun putting up printed leaflets and speaking with patients individually to explain the upcoming changes and how they may be affected.

For some in the community, the news has prompted concern and talk of collective action.

“I don’t feel it’s necessary,” said Elaine Hyde, a senior living in Pincher Creek. “Life is rolling along pretty good the way it is now.”

Hyde, who serves as president of Huddlestun Senior Citizen Centre, said: “Personally, it won’t put a big strain on us, but I know that there are quite a few seniors that it will. They’re just getting by day to day, and put an increase like that by next year, it’ll curtail their activities.”

She further said that a group of seniors might get together and write a letter to the government against this increase.

“We know we probably can’t stop it now, but I am sure there will be people protesting it,” she said. “A lot of our members are on very fixed incomes. So we’re not in favour of it — let’s put it that way.”

Fellow Pincher Creek senior resident Judy Lane shared a similar sentiment.

“It would begin to be very, very hard on people,” she said.

While the province says the phased increase is necessary to ensure the program’s sustainability, Shepherd hopes affordability for vulnerable residents remains a priority, especially with Alberta’s senior population expected to nearly double to 1.4 million by 2051.

“This increase is going to significantly impact some people,” she said. “If people have great concerns, they can reach out to their MLA [Chelsae Petrovic], and relay their concerns with this price increase.”

She also reminded residents that anyone over 65 who has lived in Alberta for more than three months is eligible for Coverage for Seniors and they must apply to receive it.

Roughly 760,000 Albertans aged 65 and older are currently enrolled in the Coverage for Seniors plan, while about 75,000 under 65 are enrolled in Non-Group Coverage, according to the province.