Mari contacted our office after experiencing difficulties refilling her prescription for her medications. She had applied for the monthly deduction payment option, but when Mari went to the pharmacy she was told she did not have coverage, and would have to pay the full cost. Mari called Health Insurance BC (HIBC) several times to inquire about her application for monthly deductions. The staff she spoke to told her it would take three to four days. Mari tried to escalate the matter by requesting to speak with a supervisor, but the supervisor never called.

We reached out to HIBC regarding Mari’s concerns and learned that her application for monthly deductions of her premium had not been properly filled out. This meant that she would have to pay the full premium first, before she was given coverage, instead of only a portion per month. In response to our investigation, HIBC reached out to Mari to provide her with additional details about the monthly deductions program. HIBC also expedited Mari’s monthly deduction application, which allowed her to fill her prescriptions a few days later.