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Maximum Allowable Cost

Effective coverage for your health conditions


If applicable to your plan, Maximum Allowable Cost (MAC) applies to specific therapeutic categories of drugs that help treat:

  • Gastrointestinal conditions1
  • High blood pressure
  • Depression2

Your plan will reimburse for a number of drugs in the therapeutic categories to treat these conditions, up to the price of the most cost-effective option.

1 In Quebec, only gastrointestinal treatments have MAC applied.
2 Not applicable to all MAC plans.

Medications covered under this program

Maximum Allowable Cost applies if you have been diagnosed for treatment of one of these conditions:

If you have been prescribed a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) to treat gastrointestinal conditions:

  • Dexilant (dexlansoprazole)
  • Losec (omeprazole)
  • Nexium (esomeprazole)
  • Pantoloc (pantoprazole sodium)
  • Pariet (rabeprazole)
  • Prevacid (lansoprazole)
  • Tecta (pantoprazole magnesium)

Residents outside Quebec: You may be reimbursed to the price of the most cost-effective option: Generic Pariet (rabeprazole)
Quebec Residents: You may be reimbursed to the Maximum Payable Cost as determined by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).

Note: In Quebec, only gastrointestinal treatments have MAC applied.

If you have been prescribed an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) to treat high blood pressure:

  • Accupril (quinapril)
  • Altace (ramipril)
  • Capoten (Captopril)
  • Coversyl (perindopril)
  • Inhibace (cilazapril)
  • Lotensin (benazepril)
  • Mavik (trandolapril)
  • Monopril (fosinopril)
  • Vasotec (enalapril)
  • Zestril/Prinivil (lisinopril)

You may be reimbursed to the price of the most cost-effective option: Generic Altace (ramipril)

If you have been prescribed a Serotonin Modulator (SM), Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) to treat depression:

  • Trintellix (vortioxetine)
  • Fetzima (levomilnacipran)
  • Viirbyd (vilazodone hydrochloride)
  • Celexa (citalopram)
  • Cipralex (escitalopram)
  • Luvox (fluvoxamine)
  • Paxil (paroxetine)
  • Prozac (fluoxetine)
  • Zoloft (sertraline)
  • Cymbalta (duloxetine)
  • Effexor (venlafaxine)
  • Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

You may be reimbursed to the price of the most cost-effective option: Generic Celexa (citalopram)

Note: Not applicable to all MAC plans.

In the case of changes to the drugs covered by this program, updates to this table will be made as soon as possible.

If you have been prescribed one of the above medications, you can find out if a lower cost option is appropriate for you by:

  • Discussing your treatment with your physician or health professional
  • Discussing with your pharmacist when filling your prescription

If you choose the more expensive option, you will need to pay the difference between the most cost-effective option and the one you have been prescribed. Your benefit plan can play a big part in the health of you and your family. By working together, we can ensure you have affordable access to the medications you need, today and in the future. You can find out more about how drug costs work here.