Pharmacare for Children in Kinship Care in Nova Scotia

Prescriptions for a child you're raising shouldn't mean choosing between their medication and your groceries. Nova Scotia has several layers of health coverage for children, and kinship caregivers can access most of them regardless of whether they have a court order.

MSI: What Every Child Gets

Every child living in Nova Scotia with a valid health card is covered by Medical Services Insurance (MSI). This includes physician visits, hospital care, and basic medical services. There's no income test, no custody requirement, and no application beyond having the child's health card.

If the child moved to your home from another province, you'll need to register them with MSI. Contact MSI at 1-800-563-8880 with the child's birth certificate and proof of Nova Scotia residence (your address). Coverage usually starts on the first day of the third month after you become a Nova Scotia resident. Contact the previous province to confirm coverage until then.

Children's Oral Health Program

Nova Scotia covers basic dental services for all children up to the end of the month they turn 14. This includes annual exams, cleanings, X-rays, and fillings. The coverage flows through MSI — you don't need a separate application. Just take the child to a dentist who accepts MSI.

After age 14, there's no universal provincial dental coverage for children unless you're on ESIA.

Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)

The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan covers eligible children under 18 when the household adjusted net income is under $90,000 and the child doesn't have access to private dental insurance. Apply through Service Canada. This fills the gap after the provincial children's program ends at 14 and provides coverage for kinship caregivers who aren't on ESIA.

ESIA Pharmacare: The Full Package

The most comprehensive health coverage for children in Nova Scotia comes through the Employment Support and Income Assistance program. If your household receives ESIA, the child may receive:

• Pharmacare: Coverage for eligible drugs on the Nova Scotia Formulary, with a $5 co-pay per prescription unless exempt
• Extended dental: Coverage beyond what MSI provides, including for children over 14
• Optical: Glasses and eye exams
• Medical transportation: Help with travel costs to medical appointments

This matters most when the child has a chronic condition requiring expensive medication — asthma inhalers, ADHD medication, seizure drugs, or medications for mental health conditions related to trauma. Without drug coverage, these costs can fall on the caregiver.

Low Income Pharmacare for Children

If your household receives the Nova Scotia Child Benefit and the child is not already covered by a private, group, or federal drug plan, the child may qualify for Low Income Pharmacare for Children. The program provides coverage for eligible prescription drugs with a $5 co-pay per prescription. Apply using the program's form or call 1-866-424-1269 for information.

The catch is that ESIA is household means-tested. If you're a grandparent receiving CPP, OAS, or GIS, those pensions are counted dollar-for-dollar against ESIA eligibility. Many kinship caregivers on a pension earn too much for ESIA but not enough to comfortably cover a child's medications out of pocket.

Alternative Family Care and Health Coverage

The Alternative Family Care (AFC) program provides $250 per month per child, and that payment is non-taxable. AFC doesn't directly provide Pharmacare. But the $250 monthly can help offset prescription costs for caregivers who don't qualify for ESIA.

DFSC is separate from Pharmacare, but its disability-related special-needs funding can include approved medications listed on the Nova Scotia Formulary.

What to Do If You're in the Gap

If you're not on ESIA and the child needs expensive prescriptions, check whether the child qualifies for:

1. The child's parent's private insurance. If the birth parent has workplace benefits, the child may still be covered under their plan even if the child lives with you. Contact the parent's insurer.
2. DFSC program. If the child has a severe disability, the Disability Support Program may provide respite and approved disability-related special-needs funding, including medications listed on the Nova Scotia Formulary.
3. Patient assistance programs. Most major pharmaceutical companies offer programs that provide medications free or at reduced cost to families who can't afford them. Your pharmacist can tell you what's available for specific drugs.
4. The child's CCB and NSCB. These tax-free monthly payments aren't restricted to specific expenses. If you're receiving them, they can cover prescriptions.

The Nova Scotia kinship financial help guide walks through each health coverage option alongside the financial benefits, so you can see the full picture of what's available — and which programs you may be missing.

See more Nova Scotia guides →