The Provider Regulation (“the Regulation”) under the Pharmaceutical Services Act (“the Act”) came into force on December 1, 2014. The Regulation sets out enrolment criteria for pharmacies, facilities, and other places where drugs, devices, substances or related services are provided (“sites”). It also sets out the commercial terms for the Province of British Columbia’s relationship with enrolled providers. The PharmaCare Policy Manual, and frequent updates in the PharmaCare Newsletter, spell out how the legislation is applied.
This guide is also available to download and print as a PDF: PharmaCare Provider Enrolment Guide (PDF, 350KB)
Enrolment documents:
1 Understanding PharmaCare enrolment
2 About this guide/General instructions
On May 31, 2012, the Pharmaceutical Services Act (“the Act”) came into effect. Under section 11(2) of the Act, pharmacies, facilities or other places where drugs, devices, substances or related services are provided may apply for enrolment with the PharmaCare program.
The Provider Regulation (“the Regulation”), which came into effect on December 1, 2014, sets out the prescribed criteria for enrolment and the ongoing responsibilities of PharmaCare providers. Please bookmark or print the Regulation for your ongoing reference.
This guide gives step-by-step instructions on how to enrol as a PharmaCare provider.
Important: If information on your enrolment form changes before your enrolment is approved, you must resubmit the form. If your information changes after approval, submit a Provider Change Form (HLTH 5433).
Please see Notification Requirements for more information on required notifications of changes.
Important: Providing false or inaccurate information in the enrolment process is a serious matter. You may wish to seek legal advice on completing the form(s).
The application should be completed by any site wishing to enrol as a provider with PharmaCare in order for:
Term | Definition |
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Billing privileges | The privilege of seeking payment from PharmaCare or another public insurer for providing benefits |
Information or billing contravention |
Contravention of a pharmacy enactment or any legislation equivalent to a pharmacy enactment in another Canadian jurisdiction or a requirement of a public drug insurance program related to:
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Manager |
As declared on the first page of the PharmaCare Enrolment Form (section 1e):
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Owner |
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Pharmacy enactment | The Pharmaceutical Services Act, Continuing Care Act, Medicare Protection Act, Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, or any regulation made under these acts |
Provider | An entity that is enroled in PharmaCare for the purpose of receiving payment |
Public drug insurance program | The First Nations Health Authority program, the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program or a drug and/or medical device program of a provincial or territorial government of Canada other than B.C. (e.g., Ontario Drug Benefit Program) |
Public insurer | The First Nations Health Authority, the Government of Canada or a provincial or territorial government of Canada |
Relevant audit |
An audit conducted under a pharmacy enactment or by a public insurer in relation to the insurer’s public drug insurance program. For example, relevant audit includes audits conducted by PharmaCare and NIHB but not audits conducted by municipal governments or the Canada Revenue Agency. |
Site ID | The unique identification code issued to the site by Health Insurance BC (e.g., A01), also known as the Pharmacy Code or PharmaCare Code/ID |
Field ID | Field Name | Instructions |
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a | Operating Name |
The name of the site for which the applicant is seeking enrolment. Note: Pharmacies should provide the Operating Name as shown on their pharmacy licence; device providers should use the Operating Name as shown on their business licence. A copy of either the pharmacy licence or the business licence, as appropriate, must be submitted with the PharmaCare enrolment form. |
b | Site ID | The unique identification code issued to the site by Health Insurance BC (e.g., A01), also known as the Pharmacy Code or PharmaCare Code/ID |
c | Site Address |
The street address of the physical location where drugs, devices, substances or related services will be provided. This must be a street address, not a box number (e.g., 123 Main Street not P.O. Box 1234). May not include a P.O. Box number (A P.O. Box number may be included in the mailing address – see [d] below). |
d | Mailing Address |
The address where the applicant wishes to receive correspondence (required only if different from the Site Address). Can be a P.O. Box number. |
e | Payment Remittance Address |
The address to which the applicant wishes payment advices to be sent (Required only if different from the Site Address). Can be a P.O. Box number. |
f | Email Address | The email address at which you wish to be contacted about this application (e.g., email address of the site or of the manager). |
g | Manager Name/ Registration ID |
Full name of the current manager of the site. Pharmacies: Enter the name of the pharmacy manager as it appears on their pharmacist licence and their College of Pharmacists of BC Registration ID (the 5-digit number, which may have a leading 0). Device providers: Leave the Registration ID field blank. Do not enter “TBD”/ “To be determined”. |
h | Proposed Opening Date |
The date the site is scheduled to be open for business. Must be within 3 months of the date you submit the form. |
Please note that a provider can be in more than one class and/or sub-class as long as they meet the requirements for each of those classes or sub-classes.
For example:
Field ID | Field Name | Instructions |
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a | Pharmacy class |
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b | Pharmacy sub-classes |
Pharmacies may also enrol in the Opioid Agonist Treatment Provider and Plan B Pharmacy sub-classes. Pharmacies that also provide general medical supplies (such as diabetes supplies, insulin pumps and supplies, blood glucose test strips and ostomy supplies) do not need to apply for enrolment in the Device class unless they wish to provide one or more of the following:
Effective January 1, 2019: All pharmacy managers, staff pharmacists, and relief pharmacists employed in a community pharmacy that provides pharmacy services related to buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance treatment, methadone maintenance treatment or slow release oral morphine maintenance treatment must:
Effective September 30, 2021: The CPBC MMT training program (2013) will not be available beyond September 30, 2021. Registrants will no longer be able to fulfill the College’s training requirements by completing that program, and must complete any applicable component(s) of the BCPhA OAT-CAMPP by September 30, 2021. A pharmacy can enrol in the Plan B Pharmacy sub-class if the pharmacy or the facility being serviced provides a copy of the facility licence to Health Insurance BC once it is available. |
c | Device class |
Sites that provide medical supplies and devices may enrol in the Device class. If you are enrolling in the device class, please include a copy of your business licence (unless you are a pharmacy). |
d | Device sub-classes |
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Answer only the questions that apply to your site as indicated in section 2 of the Enrolment Form.
If you answered No to any of the questions, attach a written explanation as to why PharmaCare should consider enrolling you in this sub-class. Please note that you cannot be enrolled unless you meet the requirements or the Ministry of Health determines that enrolling your site:
If you use PharmaNet to submit claims, indicate your software vendor and software version.
Contact your software vendor for more information, if necessary.
Different information will need to be provided depending on the type of ownership structure of the site.
Field ID | Field | Instructions |
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a | Type of ownership |
Please indicate if the site is owned by a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, health authority or other.
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b | Registered or legal name of sole proprietor, partnership, corporation or name of health authority |
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c | Mailing address/contact information | The address where the sole proprietor/partnership/ corporation/health authority can be contacted, including the phone number, fax number and email address. |
d | Owner documentation requirements |
Please ensure the Site ID is indicated on all documents submitted. Provide all the following, as applicable. If you are unsure of the documentation to include, please consult your legal counsel.
Note: For subsidiary corporations that are not publicly traded and which have a parent corporation that is not publicly traded, you must also include—for the parent corporation—the names and contact information of all officers and directors on Schedule A: Owner Details and a copy of the shareholder’s register and any relevant provisions of any shareholder agreements with respect to the operation of the site. |
Additional information is required if any owner or manager of the site being enrolled also owns or manages:
Important:
Please specify the owner’s name, the operating name, position held and Site ID of these other sites on Schedule B: Additional Sites.
If you are an owner who is enrolling multiple sites at the same time, please attach a list that includes all sites with each application (i.e., complete Schedule B once and attach a copy to each application).
All applicants must answer questions 1-8. To enrol as both a device provider and a pharmacy, answer all questions in this section. To enrol as a pharmacy only, answer questions 9-11. If you are asking to enrol as a device provider only, skip questions 9-11 but answer question 12.
If you answer Yes to any of the questions in section 7 of the Enrolment Form, please provide the additional information requested below (as applicable) on Schedule C: Additional Information.
If you answer Yes to any of the questions, attach a written explanation as to why PharmaCare should consider enrolling you. Please note that if you answer Yes to any of the questions other than Questions 8, 11 or 12, you cannot be enrolled unless the Ministry of Health determines that enrolling your site:
Question | Information to include if you answered "yes' |
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1a |
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1b |
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2a |
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2b |
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3a |
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3b |
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4a |
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4b |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 |
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9 |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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The applicant is the legal owner. For example, in the case of a site owned by a corporation, the “applicant” is the corporation.
Field name | Instructions |
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Signature | Signature of the authorized representative of the applicant |
Name | Name of the authorized representative of the applicant |
Title | Title of the authorized representative of the applicant |
Date signed | Date the form was signed |
Phone number | Phone number where the applicant’s authorized representative may be contacted |
Submit your application and related documents by mail or fax:
PharmaCare Information Support
Health Insurance BC
P.O. Box 9684 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9P7
Fax: (250) 405-3599
As the owner of a site, you must notify PharmaCare, in advance, of changes to your business (such as changes of ownership, management etc.) and, if applicable, your PharmaNet connection.
Failure to abide by your duties and obligations may result in delay or suspension of payments. Please read the materials included in your Welcome Package thoroughly, to ensure you understand your duties and obligations as a PharmaCare provider.
Once you have submitted your application, notify the Ministry of Health (via form submitted to Health Insurance BC) of any of the following in accordance with the notification requirement specified below:
Change | Notification requirements |
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Change in provider contact information | Minimum 7 days before change |
Change of operating/business or corporate name | Minimum 7 days before change |
Change in owner information | Minimum 7 days before change |
Change of manager | Minimum 7 days before change |
Change of location | Minimum 7 days before change |
Changes to a Power of Attorney | Minimum 7 days before change |
Cancellation of sub-class |
Opioid Agonist Treatment Provider—30 days before services will end Plan B—No later than the last day of the month before the final full month in which service will be provided Device Provider—as soon as reasonably practicable |
Request to add a sub-class | Recommended notification period: Submit the request at least 21 days in advance of requested effective date to allow for processing. |
Notice of certain action or event(s)* | Immediately |
Notice of disposition (sale) or closure | Minimum 30 days before change |
*Actions or events include: order, suspension and/or cancellation of billing privileges, judgment or conviction; suspension or cancellation of pharmacist’s registration and/or pharmacy licence; disciplinary action taken by a governing body or action or proceeding taken by the Canadian Board for Certification of Prosthetists and Orthotists; instances in which an owner of the site has been the director of a corporation that has declared or been petitioned into bankruptcy; and, a requirement to pay an amount to a public insurer, other than BC PharmaCare.
Notify PharmaCare Information Support of any of these changes using the PharmaCare Provider Change Form (HLTH 5433).
Please retain a copy of your Enrolment Form and all Change Forms. If you are required to notify the Ministry of Health of a change using the PharmaCare Provider Change Form (HLTH 5433), you must ensure that information on HLTH 5433 matches the corresponding information on your Enrolment Form, or the last Change Form you submitted.
If you have read the instructions and still have questions, contact PharmaCare Information Support via the PharmaNet Help Desk: