A senior in the Quad Counties says a provincial change in the way prescriptions are filled is costing her more.
Officials with the provincial government announced prescriptions can only be filled up to a maximum of 30 days in March.
They said they wanted to help preserve the medication supply chain, and avoid hoarding.
Ronda Stewart, who lives in Antigonish Co., tells The Hawk getting her prescription filled monthly as opposed to every three months will cost her three times as much because of her insurance co-pay.
“Our doctor gives us 90 days (for prescriptions) and we are on a fixed income- both retired- and there’s lots of seniors out there in the same boat,” she says. “We are paying $20 for this 30-day refill, and we come back three times in a row for a 90-day prescription, and we have to pay $60 now.”
Stewart says it’s a big difference to seniors who don’t have a lot of extra money to spare.
She says it takes money away they need for food and other expenses.
“There are a lot of seniors in, say, nursing homes- who’s looking out for their money interests?” she says. “I realized it myself because of my own situation, but do they even know that this is happening to them?”
Stewart says she’s reached out to Randy Delorey, the MLA for Antigonish and the province’s health minister, as well as Premier Stephen McNeil.
She says she hasn’t heard anything back from anyone at this point.
