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• For drugs received by inpatients, all costs are borne by the hospital and, in turn, by the government.

• For outpatient pharmaceuticals, drugs are paid for by a combination of insurance coverage and individuals paying out-of-pocket.

• Private insurance, including group insurance offered through employers or unions and individual insurance packages, covers the majority of Canadian prescriptions. Private insurers decide what drugs they will cover, and thus, through higher charges, sometimes cover more expensive therapies that government bodies have decided are not significantly more beneficial.

• The federal government covers a limited range of drugs for First Nations and Inuit people, members of the Canadian forces, veterans, federal inmates, the RCMP, and a small, defined group of refugees and ‘special status’ individuals.

• The provincial governments cover some drug costs based on age or income. Both eligibility and the extent of coverage vary by province.

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