Facebook Youtube Instagram
Symptom Checker
Coupon

FeraMax

BACK TO BLOG

Is FeraMAX covered by my drug plan?

Hands holding and scrolling on a mobile phone in a pharmacy.

Generally, most drug insurance plans focus on prescription medications. FeraMAX® is classified as a Natural Health Product (NPN) along with other minerals and vitamins. See more about Natural Health Products.

Public drug plans

In Canada, public drug plans are a government-subsidized program that helps eligible residents access necessary prescription medications
not covered by the universal healthcare system (which generally only covers drugs administered in the hospital). Most public drug plans maintain a specific list of eligible non-prescription products. Most public drug plans do not include FeraMAX® on their coverage lists. Very few of the government drug plans in Canada provide coverage for FeraMAX®.

YES! The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program for First Nations and Inuit clients covers select OTC products on a Drug Benefit List, including all formats of FeraMAX® when this recommendation is written as a prescription from a healthcare practitioner. First Nations Health Benefits in British Columbia (Plan W) also include FeraMAX® products when written with a prescription.

Private drug insurance plans

In Canada, a private drug plan is a prescription drug insurance plan provided by an insurance company, typically offered through an employer, union, or sold individually, to help pay for medication costs not covered by the public healthcare system. Coverage for products with an NPN or over-the-counter by private drug plans varies significantly by individual plan design. Even though FeraMAX® Therapeutic 150, FeraMAX® Maintenance 45 and FeraMAX® Powder 15 are often recommended with a prescription from many healthcare professionals, the recommendation is classified differently than prescription drugs that have a DIN (Drug Identification Number) and may not be covered by all insurance plans.

What are the conditions for FeraMAX® coverage?

1. Your drug plan formulary

In your private drug plan booklet/policy, FeraMAX® may be covered under terms such as “minerals”, “non-prescription medicines”, “prescribed for therapeutic use”, “life-sustaining over the counter products” and/or within a “prescribed plan”. FeraMAX® will not appear by name in your booklet, but it may qualify under these groupings and terms. Look in your booklet/policy under the Prescription Drug or Extended Health Plan sections for these terms.

2. Wellness Account (WA), Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) or Personal Health Spending Account (PHSA)

Some employers offer a wellness account that is broader in nature than some private drug plans and health spending accounts. These may be considered a taxable benefit. The employer determines what products are eligible, and sometimes these cover vitamins, supplements, and other general wellness products.

3. A written prescription

A healthcare practitioner’s written prescription is almost always required by private plans when submitting a claim, but it does not guarantee reimbursement

Action Steps

1. Ask your healthcare practitioner to provide a prescription for FeraMAX®

Ask your healthcare practitioner (Physician, nurse practitioner, etc.) to provide a written prescription, often as a print out from the electronic medical record (EMR) for the recommended version of FeraMAX®. This is an important step to ensure that you have the appropriate FeraMAX® dose and format. A written prescription is the first step in seeking drug plan coverage and submitting a claim.

2. Review your drug plan documents

Consult your drug plan booklet/policy provided by your insurance provider or employer, which outlines covered benefits and any conditions for coverage (e.g., needing a prescription). You will need to have your drug plan policy and employer/employee information when contacting your insurance provider to verify coverage over the phone. In some cases, you can review the booklet online or through a plan member web portal. Most common contract terms used to define coverage for FeraMAX® include minerals, prescribed plan, non-prescription medicines, prescribed for therapeutic use, and life-sustaining over-the-counter products. Read instructions about how to submit a claim, as well as the required documents.

3. Contact your insurer

You can call your private health insurance provider directly. Be sure to have your drug plan policy and employer/employee information handy, as well as your prescription. They can confirm the eligibility of FeraMAX® based on the active ingredient (iron – polydextrose iron complex) or NPN (Natural Product Number).
  • FeraMAX® NPNs are as follows:
    1. FeraMAX® Therapeutic 150: NPN 80075623
    2. FeraMAX® Maintenance 45: NPN 80118645
    3. FeraMAX® Powder 15: NPN 80109337
Ask for instructions and required documents on how to submit your claim. You will need to include your prescription for FeraMAX® with your claim form and pharmacy receipt.

4. Consult with your pharmacist

Pharmacists are often familiar with various drug plans and may have access to online drug portals as well as familiar with some local employer plans. You will likely need an official prescription receipt from a pharmacist in order to submit a claim.

5. Connect with your employer Human Resources (HR) manager

If you find that your private drug plan does not cover FeraMAX®, determine if the decision to exclude coverage on your plan was made by your employer, or your insurance company. If the decision to exclude coverage was made by your employer, explain to your HR manager that your physician has prescribed you this iron deficiency anemia treatment. Request that they contact your insurance company to include FeraMAX® on your plan on an exception basis.
Woman smiles looking at a supplement in her hand while holding a glass of water

Impact of Anemia in the Workplace

Anemia in women 15–49 years of age is one of the targets for the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Click here to learn more.

Canadian researchers studied the effect of anemia on workplace productivity and found data from 12 studies providing strong evidence that anemia has a negative impact on occupational performance and iron interventions can improve productivity in the workplace.

WHO has committed to reducing anemia with a commitment to develop a comprehensive framework for action to prevent, diagnose and manage anemia through a multisectoral approach. WHO, together with UNICEF, established an Anemia Action Alliance, which identifies anemia as a major public health concern, a fundamental health issue and highlights the economic impact on individuals, families and more broadly the community. Learn more here.

Basic Product Information

FeraMAX® Pd Therapeutic 150
FeraMAX® Pd Maintenance 45
FeraMAX® Pd Powder 15

This information is for general knowledge only. Coverage varies by plan. For specific questions about your benefits, contact your insurance provider, pharmacist, or healthcare practitioner.

Sources

1. Information Sheet #5 for Consumers – Informing Yourself – Informing You About Natural Health Products – Health Canada Last modified 2018 May07: Last accessed 2025 Dec12.) Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/natural-non-prescription/information-sheet-5-consumers-informing-yourself-informing-you-about-natural-health-products-health-canada.html
2. About the Non-Insured Health Benefits program (last modified 2025 July28; Last accessed 2025 Dec 12). Available from: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1576790320164/1576790364553
3. First Nations Health Benefits (Plan W) (Last updated 2025 Feb24; Last accessed 2025 Dec 12) Available from: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/pharmacare-for-bc-residents/who-we-cover/first-nations-health-authority-clients
4. Public Drug Plan Designs, 2020/21(Last modified 2023 Aug22; Last accessed 2025 Dec12) Available from https://www.canada.ca/en/patented-medicine-prices-review/services/npduis/analytical-studies/supporting-information/2020-2021-public-drug-plan-designs.html
5. Everything You Need To Know About Private Health Insurance Canada (Last updated 2024 Dec13; Last accessed 2025 Dec12) Available https://www.policyme.com/health-insurance/health-insurance-for-family/private-health-insurance-canada#
6. Anemia (Dated 2025 Feb10; Last accessed 2025 Dec 12) Available from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anaemia
7. Anemia is a major public health concern, with economic consequences (Dated 2025; Last accessed 2025 Dec 12) Available from https://anaemiaalliance.who.int/about-anaemia/cost-of-inaction
8. Marcus H, Schauer C, Zlotkin S. Effect of Anemia on Work Productivity in Both Labor- and Nonlabor-Intensive Occupations: A Systematic Narrative Synthesis. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2021;42(2):289-308. doi:10.1177/03795721211006658 (Dated 2021 April 20, last accessed 2026 Jan 9) available from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03795721211006658