If you're living with diabetes, you may have higher health care-related costs than people without diabetes. Financial assistance programs can help offset some of the costs associated with diabetes management.
Various financial assistance programs are offered by governments, communities and groups across Canada. These programs may differ from province to province and eligibility criteria for each program are unique.
Provincial financial assistance programs
For information about federal, provincial and territorial public drug benefits programs, please visit this site or contact your nearest government service centre. You may talk to your health care team about other assistance programs that might be available to you.
Disability benefits
As a person living with diabetes, you may also qualify for disability benefits. There is no standard definition of “disability” in Canada; each federal, provincial or territorial government program or private insurer may interpret “disability” differently and set its own rules for eligibility.
For most programs, eligibility is based on how your disease/disability affects your ability to work, participate in society, etc. Your eligibility is not based on which disease or disability you have.
CPP disability benefit
The CPP disability benefit is a monthly amount available to Canadians (under 65 years of age) who have become unable to work because of a disability. You must have paid into the Canada Pension Plan while you were working in order to qualify.
To be eligible for CPP, your disability must be “severe” and “prolonged”. CPP defines a “severe” disability as one that prevents you from doing your former job, or any other job, on a regular basis.
Having diabetes alone normally will not qualify you for CPP disability; however, if you are experiencing certain diabetes-related complications that have affected your ability to work, you may qualify.
Eligibility is determined by CPP medical adjudicators based on information submitted in your application and supporting documentation.
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