The heavy rainfall that caused unprecedented damage to our transportation infrastructure and severe flooding in the Lower Mainland, Interior, and Vancouver Island have been devastating for so many in our province.

We fully support guidance from the Ministry of Health and PharmaCare for community pharmacies to dispense smaller quantities (e.g., 30 days’ supply) to mitigate drug shortages during floods, evacuations, and highway closures in British Columbia. 

In addition, we would like to advise our pharmacy partners that intervention code, UX (emergency dispensing fee limit override) may be used for Pacific Blue Cross members of Policy 88000 (Municipal Pension Plan) who have reached their annual dispensing fee limit for chronic medications to allow for payment of the dispensing fee if additional fills are required. 

Pharmacists should continue to fill the maximum days’ supply when possible and use their judgement to assess inventory and patient need. Pharmacists should also document the rationale for using the intervention code.

This policy will be in place until Dec 1, 2021.

For more information on how Pacific Blue Cross is supporting members affected by this crisis, please visit the following Frequently Asked Questions page.