Universal birth control coverage coming to Manitoba this fall

Manitoba will be introducing universal prescription birth control coverage this fall.

The government announced Thursday it will cover prescription birth control starting Oct. 1, 2024.

"Birth control is health care," Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said. "People deserve to have autonomy over their bodies, autonomy over their health-care choices and to have the choice to make reproductive decisions that make the most sense for them."

Free birth control was announced in the provincial budget earlier this year, and was an election promise made by the NDP.

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Dr. Jacqueline Gougeon, the primary care obstetrics lead with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, said cost has deterred women from accessing birth control.

"In my own practice, I have seen the impact of unplanned pregnancy and how this affects the decisions and life course of a patient, not only in the short-term, but lifelong," she said. "I've seen young women roll the dice with short-term contraceptive options rather than having access to reliable, long-acting contraception simply due to cost. I've treated vulnerable women not wanting to have another baby who are exhausted and unable to access contraception due to their spouse's objections, and for whom an implant or an IUD could be life-changing."

The province said the Manitoba Pharmacare Program will cover the full cost of roughly 60 commonly used birth control methods, including the pill and intrauterine devices. Prescriptions are available at walk-in clinics, hospitals or at regular doctor offices.

However, the morning-after pill, which can be accessed without a prescription in Manitoba, is not currently covered by the plan. Asagwara said work and discussions are underway with pharmacists about future additions to the coverage.

"There's more work that our government is doing with our health care experts right here in our own province to make sure that this rollout happens successfully, and that we continue to do the work of making birth control more accessible for folks in every corner of the province,” Asagwara said.

In British Columbia, the morning-after pill is covered by BC Pharmacare, even though a prescription is not required.

Those who don't have coverage from another provincial or federal program can present their health card at a pharmacy to obtain free coverage.