The national pharmacare debate is lacking a clear understanding of the coverage already available to Canadians who may be at risk of letting prescriptions go unfilled because of cost, according to a new report by the Fraser Institute. Looking at provincial drug programs across Canada, the report noted British Columbia’s pharmacare plan covers 70 per cent of eligible prescription drugs […]
Any decision reached on pharmacare reform in Canada should guarantee the viability of current health benefits plans, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association in its submission to the advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare. Jeopardizing current benefits plans could lead to a delay in access to new medicines and could potentially […]
The issue of a national pharmacare program is more nuanced than it may appear at first glance, said Joe Farago during a presentation at the 2018 Halifax Benefits Summit on Sept. 20. “Canadians are starting to change their views,” said Innovative Medicines Canada’s executive director, private payers and investment, during the conference. Farago pointed to a national poll of health-care providers, managers and the […]
A coalition comprised of dozens of federal and provincial health-care organizations, including providers, patient groups, academics, health practitioner unions and professional associations, have teamed up to create a set of principles for national pharmacare in Canada. First, the coaltion believes pharmacare should work as a clear extension of Canada’s current universal health-care system, bringing pharmaceutical services in […]
The results of the ongoing renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement could have an impact on how much Canadians pay for their medications in the future, according to one expert. In an article originally published by not-for-profit media outlet the Conversation, Joel Lexchin, an associate professor of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto, pointed out that the […]
Universal pharmacare is an idea that has been kicking around for decades in Canada. Yet despite numerous studies calling for a universal single-payer pharmacare program to ensure all Canadians have access to prescription drugs, the country’s drug system remains a patchwork of public and private plans. This spring, the House of Commons’ standing committee on […]
Pharmacare and flexible annuity options top the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s list of recommendations for the upcoming 2019 federal budget. In its submission, the association stated it’s supportive of the work being done through the federal government’s advisory council on the implementation of pharmacare, introduced in last year’s budget. However, it also said it’s important to […]
In a meeting in Saint Andrews, N.B., on Friday, provincial and territorial premiers met to discuss ways to improve health care for Canadians, including the implementation of a national pharmacare program. Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, was also in the meeting and said she is encouraged that there is support […]
With an eye toward dismantling the barriers many Canadians face in accessing prescription drugs, the federal government is launching an online consultation process on national pharmacare. The government’s advisory council, introduced in the 2018 budget, is accepting views through an online questionnaire and written submissions. As well, the online platform will include a discussion forum. “Hearing directly from Canadians […]
While a national pharmacare program is likely to come with a tax hike, will that cost be balanced out by savings on prescription drugs and private drug spending? In a presentation to be delivered Friday to provincial and territorial premiers, former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page is expected to be straightforward about the costs of a cross-country, publicly […]