Why would a prescription be free in Canada?

There is some kind of virus going around my town, in particular retirement homes. A friend of mine caught it from his mother. He went to the emergency room as he was aggressively getting worse, this thing moves fast. Basic flu like symptoms, but nausea, high fever, you get the idea... I guess this thing is pretty bad.

When he got to the hospital, he explained that he thought he caught it from his mom and the hospital staff asked where she lived. Once he told them, they escorted him to an enclosed room (not a curtain - divided ward room as per usual). They made him wear a mask and turned the room ventilation on.

The doctor and staff who dealt with him also wore masks.

Kind of figure that much is protocol. ... but the situation gets curiouser after he leaves the hospital.

They gave him 6 prescriptions, I kid you not 6! The doctor asked him what pharmacy he goes to and then released my friend from the hospital, explaining that it was important to start the medications right away and telling him to leave the mask on until he got home.

He got himself to the pharmacy and handed the prescriptions in, feeling like an idiot for having to wait around in the mask. The prescription was ready in a few short minutes (a miracle to get out of there in less than a half hour usually...)

But here's the kicker~

He goes to the counter when his name was called, and starts to take his wallet out to pay for all of this and the cashier said: "No, sir. It's ok, the hospital called. They're free." Needless to say he was astonished! He works hard but has no medical insurance so he has to pay for everything he gets. The pharmacist took him aside to explain to him how to take the medications (usual for our pharmacy) Just as they finished, the pharmacist said: "Be sure to start them as soon as you get home."

When he told me this, I was flabbergasted.. Why would they be free?

Canada has a decent healthcare system (i've been questioning that lately though).
If a canadian absolutely needs something in order to get better and doesn't have blue cross (or equivilent), they will often give them out for free. If its something serious that needs to be dealt with. The hospital doctors have that authority to provide free meds for something rare or very contaigous/serious

Perhaps a new strain of flu?

Do they have a name for this virus? Surely they must know what it is if they had 6 scripts and a focus on starting this regimen right away...

Did he mention to the ER doctor that he doesn't have coverage for prescriptions, so maybe the sheer cost of them would be problematic for him to cover? Whatever they were, if they flagged these scripts as paid by the hospital, then he needs them post haste. Therefor, if he had to pay for them, it is possible he could have skipped 1 or 2 of the scripts due to cost. Especially if it is contagious enough for them to tell him to keep the mask on until he got to his house.

To avoid contact with anything he has touched! That is about the only reason!

P

reply to post by Invariance


Viral problems don't respond to antibiotics, and the doctors would know that.

My guess is that this is bacterial and that they are tracking a local outbreak.

Probably something like TB that doesn't have much person-to-person contagiousness.

Your friend turned up with the right symptoms, at the right time and so they medicated quickly.

Edit: I can't find anything specifically new from Canada but there is this alert from last year which could relate: Tuberculosis identified in person who traveled by Greyhound bus. The low infection rate and symptoms look right.

reply to post by Invariance

I suppose the hospital might have a HEPA filter for their ventilation system....otherwise they would be spreading a bacterial infection if it could be airborne...... legionnaire's disease was, I think, initially found in ventilation systems, and why wear masks if you aren't worried about airborne contagion, though you didn't mention any deaths. Canadian health care certainly has its positive aspects (as well as negative... like waiting for a while for certain procedures), and perhaps this is one of those good parts where the health of the populace outweighs profit making for certain corporations or individuals out of proportion with need, UNLIKE American healthcare with profit coming far before care for the People. .

Got two friend that just came back from Toronto both sick like a dog
like going on two week now,
Even phone me to tell me to stay away for now

What kind of virus needs 6 prescriptions...That is weird for starters...Then to get them for free...Again weird...

reply to post by Invariance


What town do you live in? It wouldn't surprise me if it was Toronto, since it seems all of the super bugs seem to get their footholds here early on, IMHO. I sure hope its not.

reply to post by AzureSky


Well, that's the odd thing... he was taking his wallet out to pay for it when he was told there was no charge. When you get sick, you pay to get better or you have insurance... that's just the way it is. I was just wondering that maybe it's some sort of virus they're trying to keep from spreading?

I didn't know who else to discuss this odd event with, that's why I posted. I think it's just so odd ...

Thanks for your reply.

reply to post by hhcore


As far as I know they didn't ask him if he had a prescription plan, I'll ask him to double check. It is a small town, would it be on record somewhere that the family has no plan perhaps? I'm just taken aback, I've never heard of someone getting meds at no cost.

They did not name the virus, I asked him that. They said it was just a bug going around.

reply to post by chr0naut


Thanks for the info, if it was TB wouldn't they have told him what he had? I'm going to try to gather some more information. I didn't think they treated viruses, but these days you never know.

I was just curious to see if any of my fellow Canadians ever heard of getting medication free...

reply to post by Nukeleer


No, I live in a small town near Ottawa, please excuse me if I do not want to name where I'm from. I'm not paranoid, just actively aware.

Do you have any information I can read as to what is going on in Toronto? I don't have cable or sat, I just use the net.

I hope this isn't like the second coming of sars or something.

Originally posted by Invariance
reply to post by chr0naut

 

I was just curious to see if any of my fellow Canadians ever heard of getting medication free...

Only directly from a doctor, they get samples and sometimes they will load up their favorite patients with needed medications.

The fact that it was free, from a hospital and/or pharmacist, tells me this is something serious that they want to contain immediately.

They should be putting out some type of news report soon, this sounds like the type of thing that they tell people NOT to show up at the hospital, for fear of infecting more people

Originally posted by Invariance
reply to post by Nukeleer

 

No, I live in a small town near Ottawa, please excuse me if I do not want to name where I'm from. I'm not paranoid, just actively aware.

Do you have any information I can read as to what is going on in Toronto? I don't have cable or sat, I just use the net.

I hope this isn't like the second coming of sars or something.

Toronto here,

Nope have not heard of anything unusual, or have seen anyone with mask around, like someone mentioned, those prescription must be a preventive measure for a known symptom they noticed.

I never got a free meds, i mean i have got it for really cheap, but never free. It is possible government could have ordered all the hospitals to provide free meds if similar symptoms pop up.

I found this

www.oha.com...

Recent events have proven that disease and viral outbreaks in Ontario remain a real and serious threat. OHA remains on the forefront of prevention and treatment strategies through its support of the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Protocols Committee (CDSPC). Along with OHA, this committee involves collaboration between OHA member hospitals, the Ontario Medical Association and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

It doesn't say anything, except that it gives the impression that they're going to be very vigilant in trying to make sure nothing like SARS ever happens again.

Originally posted by Invariance
reply to post by hhcore

 

As far as I know they didn't ask him if he had a prescription plan, I'll ask him to double check. It is a small town, would it be on record somewhere that the family has no plan perhaps?

I highly doubt that it would be public. I have been asked before, especially with very pricey scripts. I am in Ontario as well.

reply to post by snowspirit


I agree there should be news, but there has been nothing on the local radio station or in the paper. I checked the CTV Ottawa news site as they carry reports for small neighboring areas too and still nothing.


reply to post by luciddream

It is possible government could have ordered all the hospitals to provide free meds if similar symptoms pop up.

I thought the same thing, the whole thing is odd to say the least. I left a message on my friend's machine to get more info, but he hasn't called me back yet. I'll post anything new once I hear from him.

Originally posted by snowspirit
I found this

www.oha.com...

Recent events have proven that disease and viral outbreaks in Ontario remain a real and serious threat. OHA remains on the forefront of prevention and treatment strategies through its support of the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Protocols Committee (CDSPC). Along with OHA, this committee involves collaboration between OHA member hospitals, the Ontario Medical Association and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

It doesn't say anything, except that it gives the impression that they're going to be very vigilant in trying to make sure nothing like SARS ever happens again.

Thanks for the info. It does no one any good when they don't tell a patient what they have, but on the other hand this "just a bug" might be something that doesn't have a name yet?

When we had the SARS outbreak, were the treatment meds free?

I am Canadian and prescriptions are not free, medical treatment and visiting a doctor is free but if you require medication of any sort you have to pay for it. You can get some back from your health provider but its not free. Id be pretty worried if they hospital wanted me to take something and they covered the bill. Call me a paranoid guy but....

reply to post by Invariance


I also haven't heard of anything recently. I live outside of Toronto but work in the city; mentioned this post to someone at work who has friends in the health care industry but she hadn't heard about a recent outbreak, just the usual flu strains that make their rounds.