Medical Coverage and Services in BC

Free sexual health services in BC

There are free options for most essential sexual health services in BC, even if you don’t have legal status or if you are not a resident. Some conditions that will determine if you have to pay for sexual health services include:

• Where you go for services, such as the type of clinic or service provider.
• Whether you are enrolled in government medical plans, such as the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) or the Interim Federal Health Program (IFPH).
• The type of service you want. Some services and medications are covered by government medical plans, while others are not.
• Whether you have private health insurance (from an employer or individually purchased), and if so, the type of benefits it gives.

Medical Coverage Options

In BC, there are provincial medical plans that cover the cost of services for eligible people who live in the province. There are also federal plans that cover people no matter where they live in Canada. In this section, we describe the main government medical plans available for people new to Canada.

BC Medical Services Plan (MSP)

MSP provides coverage for medically necessary services for people living in BC. It is administered by the provincial Ministry of Health.

Who can get MSP?

• Canadian citizens,
• Permanent residents,
• People with a work or study visa for six months or longer, and,
• Eligible refugee claimants (after getting a refugee claimant ID).

How can I apply for MSP?

You can apply three months after you start living in BC. After you apply, you will get a personal health number (PHN) and a BC Services Card. You will need these to access services in BC.

What does MSP cover?

• Medically necessary services, such as getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• PharmaCare plans, (prescription medications and medical devices),
• Supplementary Health Care Benefits, (services like naturopathy and acupuncture may be covered).

Get more information about MSP.

Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP)

IFHP is Government of Canada’s temporary medical plans for people seeking asylum anywhere in Canada.

Who can get IFHP?

• Refugees,
• Refugee claimants,
• Government-assisted refugees,
• Privately sponsored refugees, and
• Select newcomer groups meeting specific criteria.

How can I apply for IFHP?

The government will register you after you’ve made a claim for refugee protection in Canada or otherwise are found to be eligible. You do not need to apply or do anything else to register.

What does IFHP cover?

IFHP covers services from IFHP registered providers only. IFHP does not pay you back for expenses after you have paid for them (out-of-pocket), even if the healthcare provider is registered. Make sure you tell the clinic or provider ahead of time, and do not pay for any services or medications that you expect to have refunded.

How can I find IFHP-registered healthcare providers?

• Use the online tool to find IFHP-registered providers, a printable list is available too.
• Rainbow Refugee or TransCare BC can assist in finding services tailored to your needs, as the online tool may not cover specific areas like sexual health or LGBTQ health.

Get more information about IFHP.

Where to get different sexual health services

In BC, various services are available to support your sexual health. Some of these services include:

• STI testing and treatment,
• STI prevention through vaccines,
• Medications to treat and/or prevent HIV,
• Contraception (e.g. birth control and family planning),
• Pregnancy support, and
• Cervix screening for cancer.

There are free or affordable options for many sexual health services, especially if are registered with a medical plan.

Where can I get sexual health services?

The HealthLinkBC Directory lists all of the government, public health, and non-profit clinics in BC. Not all clinics offer sexual health services, and not all of them are free if you don’t have government or private insurance. In this section we describe different types of services and which you can access for free.

You can also contact 8-1-1 to speak to a health navigator or health care provider for advice.

Specialized sexual health clinics

Some clinics focus on sexual health, providing inclusive and sensitive care. Some allow you to get STI testing using a fake name or without showing identification. Use the clinic finder on SmartSexResource to locate nearby sexual health services.

Public health clinics

Public Health Units or Community Health Centres are examples of public health clinics. Many offer services for free, even if you do not have a medical plan. They also offer free spoken and sign language translation services if you ask for them. Many public health clinics will have services like:

• STI testing and treatment,
• Pregnancy services,
• Prenatal programs,
• Vaccinations,
• Youth clinics (services for young adolescents and young adults), and
• Contraception services.

If you do not have medical coverage or identification, it’s best to contact the clinic before you visit to make sure this option is available.

Walk-in Clinics and Doctor’s Offices

These are for non-emergency health services, including sexual health. They offer services for free if you have MSP, and IFHP if the provider is registered. Private insurance may also cover these services. You can get free spoken and sign language translation services if you ask for them.

Urgent Primary Care Centres (UPCCs)

These are for urgent but non-emergency health needs, including sexual and reproductive health. They are free if you are registered with a medical plan. You can get free spoken and sign language translation services if you ask for them.

Hospitals

Hospitals are for emergency or life-threatening services. They are free if you are registered with a medical plan. You can get free spoken and sign language translation services if you ask for them.

Non-profit Clinics

These clinics often offer a specific set of services and may be designed for specific groups of people. Many of them have culturally safe, trauma-informed, and LGBTQI-friendly care.

If you do not have a medical plan or identification, it’s best to contact the clinic before you visit to make sure this option is available.

You can often get free spoken and sign language translation services if you ask for them.

You can find a list of non-profit clinics we recommend in the Resources section.

Pharmacies

You can get different types of medications at pharmacies. Some of them also have vaccinations. Prescription medications are usually covered by government or private insurance. Medications you do not need prescriptions for are not covered.

You need a prescription from a health care provider before you can get antibiotics in Canada

Some medications are available directly from public health or private clinics (for example STI treatment, contraception, emergency contraception, and/or HIV prevention medication).

Abortion Services

Abortion is legal and free in Canada. You do not need permission from anyone to have an abortion.

You can find safe abortion providers on the Options for Sexual Health website.

Important! There are places called “Pregnancy Crisis Centres” which look like abortion clinics but are not. They may share misleading information.

LGBTQI Affirming Services

If you have questions or need support about gender or sexual identity you can visit TransCareBC, Qmunity, and LGBTQI-friendly mental health services on MindMapBC .

Important! ‘Reparative’ or ‘conversion’ therapy is illegal in Canada.

GetCheckedOnline

GetCheckedOnline is an online testing service for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) available in some communities in BC. It is a website that lets you create your own online lab form that you can take to some lab locations, and get your tests done. Check here to see which lab locations you can go to. It is always free to use, you do not have to give your real name, and it is private and confidential.