A confidence-and-supply agreement between the NDP and the Liberal Party of Canada could come to an end if the Liberals don含羞草研究社檛 agree on new legislation that would begin the process to create a universal pharmacare system.
The New Democrats gave the Liberal Party until March 1 to agree on the legislation, which would set the legal framework to a new, Canada-wide pharmacare plan, a policy the Liberals campaigned on in the 2019 election.
含羞草研究社淪eniors that I含羞草研究社檝e spoken to, in B.C., on [Vancouver Island], who are right now reeling with the high cost of groceries, rent and mortgage, they含羞草研究社檙e saying, 含羞草研究社楬ow do we budget given how expensive everything is?含羞草研究社� They含羞草研究社檙e also having to make really tough choices in their budgets between groceries or medication, and in a country that含羞草研究社檚 as rich as ours that shouldn含羞草研究社檛 be a choice that a senior has to make,含羞草研究社� said Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party.
According to a Statistics Canada survey from 2021, 21 per cent of Canadians reported not having insurance to cover medication costs. Canada is also the only country in the world with a national health-care system that does not provide universal coverage for prescription drugs.
Singh said although his party is only looking for the 含羞草研究社渓egislation to set us up to be in a position to eventually get this done,含羞草研究社� and is not requesting it to be included in this year含羞草研究社檚 budget, the price calculated for the program would be 含羞草研究社渏ust under $40 billion.含羞草研究社� He called it a 含羞草研究社渂ig investment,含羞草研究社� but added that it would be offset by the long-term benefits.
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含羞草研究社淸Universal pharmacare] would lower costs for provinces, territories, and the federal government, it would eventually lower the costs for medication for everyone,含羞草研究社� he told the News Bulletin. 含羞草研究社淚t would also mean for B.C., which already buys medication, you go to the hospital, the medications you receive, whether it含羞草研究社檚 painkillers or antibiotics, it含羞草研究社檚 covered, you don含羞草研究社檛 have to pay for that. For the same amount of money that B.C. already spends on medications in the hospital or in other scenarios, this program would cover every single person in the province.含羞草研究社�
The program would affect B.C.含羞草研究社檚 life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector; however, Singh said the industry would remain 含羞草研究社渉ighly profitable.含羞草研究社� The federal government would be able to negotiate better prices and buy in bulk which would calm the current 含羞草研究社渨ild west含羞草研究社� of pharmaceutical pricing, and 含羞草研究社渋nsurance companies and pharmaceutical companies wouldn含羞草研究社檛 be able to rip off Canadians in the way that they have been.含羞草研究社�
Coming up to the given deadline, Singh said he doesn含羞草研究社檛 know what含羞草研究社檚 going to happen, and the 含羞草研究社渂all is in the Liberals含羞草研究社� court now.含羞草研究社� He says the Liberals are currently on the side of 含羞草研究社渂ig pharma含羞草研究社� despite the research and a 2019 government-sponsored report that found 含羞草研究社渢he best, most cost-effective, most efficient, best value for money含羞草研究社� is universal pharmacare.
含羞草研究社淎re they going to back up people, or are they going to back up their buddies in the in the pharmaceutical industry? I don含羞草研究社檛 know, I guess we含羞草研究社檒l have to see,含羞草研究社� said Singh.
According to the Ministry of Health含羞草研究社檚 2023-24 departmental plan, Health Canada has 含羞草研究社渆ngaged extensively含羞草研究社� since 2021 with provinces, territories and stakeholders on the potential scope and functions of a Canada Drug Agency as part of its work toward a Canada Pharmacare Act.
bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com
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