Employment and Income Assistance Facts

Prescription Drugs Assistance for Participants

Instead of the Manitoba Health Pharmacare program, Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) covers the cost of essential drugs for program participants. If you have coverage from another program or from private insurance, you must use that coverage first.

How to pay for drugs with EIA

To get EIA's help in paying for essential drugs, you must:

• Get a prescription from a doctor.
• Take the prescription to a pharmacy and tell the pharmacist your Personal Health Information Number (PHIN) and that you receive EIA.
• The pharmacist will confirm by computer that the program covers the item and that EIA will pay the bill for you. If you do not know your PHIN, or do not have one, the pharmacist will telephone EIA to confirm your eligibility for EIA benefits.

If you do not have a PHIN for yourself, or for any family member who is enrolled in EIA with you, you should apply to Manitoba Health as soon as possible for a PHIN by calling 787-7101 in Winnipeg or 1-800-392-1207 outside Winnipeg.

Drugs covered by EIA

All drugs that Manitoba Health covers under Pharmacare are covered by EIA. There are also a number of other products that EIA covers. You must have a prescription for all drugs and products covered by EIA.

Prescribed drugs not covered by EIA

When your doctor recommends that you take a drug that is not covered by EIA, your doctor should contact the Exception Drug Status (EDS) office, either by telephone or fax, to ask EIA to consider paying for the drug. The EDS office will tell the doctor as soon as possible whether or not EIA will pay for the drug.

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