The Canadian government anticipates saving approximately $140 million this year by implementing a co-pay system for certain health care services accessed by asylum seekers and refugee claimants, effective May 1. This measure targets supplementary and prescription health coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program, aiming to curb its escalating costs. Claimants will now pay a $4 fee for prescriptions and 30 percent of the cost for services outside standard public health care, such as dental and vision care. The largest savings, projected at $93 million, are expected to come from dental services, which previously accounted for a significant portion of supplemental health care expenses. Essential medical services, including routine doctor visits, emergency care, vaccines, and hospital stays, remain fully covered. This co-pay initiative is a response to rising program expenditures, which the Parliamentary Budget Officer projected to reach $1.1 billion in 2026/27, largely driven by an increasing number of asylum seeker claims.