What is the Nova Scotia Diabetes Assistance Program (NSDAP)? A provincial Pharmacare program that aims to reduce the risk of developing the long-term complications of diabetes by helping with the cost of diabetes medications and supplies, and promoting self care.

Who is eligible? All residents of Nova Scotia under the age of 65 who have a medical diagnosis of diabetes and no prescription drug coverage for diabetes medications.

What does the NSDAP provide? Assistance with the cost of diabetes medications and supplies, including insulin, oral antihyperglycemic medications, blood glucose test strips, needles, lancets, and syringes as currently listed in the Nova Scotia Pharmacare Formulary (list of drugs and supplies approved as benefits in the province).

The NSDAP also provides four brochures focusing on the importance of self-care for persons with diabetes:
• Healthy Living and Self-Care: Living with Diabetes
• You and Your Blood Sugars: Testing for Better Health
• Staying Well with Diabetes: Using Health and Other Community Supports
• Making the Most of Your Medications.

These brochures are mailed to program registrants during the first year of their enrollment. From mid-July, they will be available on-line and at Diabetes Centres throughout Nova Scotia.

The NSDAP does not cover blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps and pump supplies, and medications specific to other medical conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease.

What does the NSDAP cost? There is an annual family deductible based on family size and annual combined family income. Registrants always pay 20% of the co-pay, while the remaining 80% comes either from the deductible or – when the deductible is paid off – from the Department of Health.

How does this work? People enrolled in the NSDAP receive a registration card from Pharmacare. They present this card to their pharmacist or CDA supply centre whenever they purchase their diabetes medications and supplies. The pharmacist is able to access information about registrants’ deductibles using a computer system linked to Pharmacare, and is thus able to tell registrants how much they have to pay.

How many people are in the program? As of spring 2007, approximately 2,000 Nova Scotians were enrolled in the NSDAP.

Is the NSDAP making a difference? The Department of Health and the Diabetes Care Program of Nova Scotia are working with Dr Michael Vallis of the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax on a study to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Participants in the study are being interviewed twice by telephone – once before they start receiving benefits, and again 12 months later. Out of the 2,000 registrants in the NSDAP, 362 are taking part in this study. The first interviews were completed by the end of March 2007, and the second interviews will begin in the summer of 2007. The study results are tentatively scheduled for release by the fall of 2008.

Need to know more? Registration forms and information booklets are available from Pharmacare, online, and at doctors' offices, pharmacies, Diabetes Centres, and the Nova Scotia Office of the Canadian Diabetes Association. For more information, call 429-6565 (Metro Halifax) or 1-800-305-5026 (toll free), or visit the website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/pharmacare/dap.