Higgs government cool to Ottawa's national pharmacare proposal
Province says it has few details on the plan, calls for federal government to put ‘existing needs’ first
The Higgs government is reacting coolly to Ottawa's invitation to join a national pharmacare program.
The federal government said last week it hoped to have some provinces sign on to the plan, which will initially cover diabetes medication and devices as well as contraceptives, by the end of the year.
But a spokesperson for the New Brunswick Health Department says many of the details haven't been shared yet and there have only been "preliminary discussions" so far.
In an emailed statement, Sean Hatchard also suggested the province wants the federal government to address problems in the existing system before tackling a new program like pharmacare.
"There are great areas of concern in provincial health-care systems at this time," he said in a written statement to CBC News.
"We have been encouraging the federal government to prioritize existing needs within the health-care system by increasing unconditional funding through Canada Health Transfers for provinces and territories."
Last week's announcement was the result of pressure put on Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government by the NDP, which it depends on for support in the House of Commons.
Federal Health Minister Mark Holland said on Rosemary Barton Live last weekend that he hoped some of the more enthusiastic provinces would sign on quickly so that the coverage could start by the end of 2024.
Federal
Health Minister Mark Holland said he hopes some of the more
enthusiastic provinces will sign on to the new plan, but acknowledges
the rollout will take time. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
But he acknowledged that "this is going to take time to negotiate these with the provinces. … This is going to roll out piece by piece."
Diabetes Canada welcomed the announcement but said Ottawa must ensure that its coverage of insulin and devices isn't less than what some provinces like New Brunswick already offer.
Insulin is now covered by the New Brunswick government for people who lack their own drug coverage through a private insurance plan.
The province later expanded the program to cover glucose-monitoring devices for eligible patients.
The program covers costs not already paid by a patient's existing plan.
Glenn Thibeault, the executive director of government affairs for Diabetes Canada, said coverage across Canada is a patchwork and no patient should end up with less coverage as a result of the federal program.
"We're going to continue to advocate for full and timely access for medications and for devices so no one experiences a reduction in care. That's the last thing we'd want to see," he said.
"This is a historic and monumental process that I think we are undertaking as a country. However the negotiations need to ensure that we are going to keep the quality of care where it's currently at or above. We don't want to see any drop in care."
According to Diabetes Canada, New Brunswick patients with Type 1 diabetes who don't have coverage through an employer co-pay program can face out-of-pocket expenses of $18,306 per year. For those with Type 2 diabetes, it can be $10,014 per year.
Thibeault said the negotiations will be difficult, given the varying coverage in different provinces, the range of medications available and the fact diabetes patients have individualized treatment plans.
Ottawa estimates the cost of the first phase of the program will be $1.5 billion, though that could change.
Holland said the program will be universal.
Glenn
Thibeault of Diabetes Canada says there is a 'patchwork' of coverage
across the country, and he hopes the federal plan will increase, not
decrease, coverage. (Markus Schwabe/CBC)
Insulin is now covered by the New Brunswick government only for people eligible for drug coverage through low-income benefits from the Department of Social Development.
The federal government is spending $35 million over four years on a separate pilot project in Prince Edward Island that was designed to help the province add new drugs to its list of covered medication and lower the cost to patients under existing plans.
Holland said the government will now be able to compare that "fill in the gaps" model with the universal diabetes and contraception coverage.
"We want to evaluate in the real world, as opposed to something that's hypothetical: how do these two models perform? How do they affect health outcomes? What are the costs involved?"
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story described eligibility for insulin coverage in New Brunswick incorrectly. It is now available for people who lack their own coverage through a private insurance plan.Mar 07, 2024 2:40 PM AT
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With files from Rosemary Barton Live
Yea Right Why doesn't Higgy begin with refunding the money I had to spend on my Health Care because he refused to give me a Health Care Card?