As of Jan. 1, more than 4,400 prescription medications are free for children and youth aged 24 and younger as part of a provincial expansion of medicare.

According to a release from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the launch of OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare will help families and young adults in Ontario get the prescriptions they need without having to worry about the cost.

“We believe in helping all families receive the medication they need, at no cost, to stay healthy and strong regardless of income. OHIP+ is a bold step toward our commitment and vision of bringing universal drug coverage to all Ontarians,” says Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Medications covered by OHIP+ include asthma inhalers, drugs to treat depression, anxiety, epilepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antibiotics, EpiPens (epinephrine auto-injectors), insulin, diabetes test strips, oral contraceptives, medications to treat some childhood cancers and other rare conditions, and more. Individuals can use the medication coverage tool  to see if their drugs are covered under the OHIP expansion.

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According to the release, Ontario is the first province in Canada to provide this coverage at no cost to children and youth under the age of 25. In order to access the coverage, all people need to do is present their Ontario health card number as well as a valid prescription at an Ontario pharmacy.