Minority clears path for universal drug plan
TORONTO - Canada’s Liberal government is more likely to pass a universal prescription drug plan after losing its majority in Monday’s election, setting the stage for what would be the biggest shakeup of the country’s public healthcare system since it was created in the 1960s.
The Liberals won the most seats in the election but fell short of a majority, which means Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will need the support of rivals like the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) to govern. Both the Liberals and NDP have promised a new national drug plan.
Canada is the only developed country with a universal health care system that does not cover prescription drugs for all, though a patchwork of provincial programs support the elderly and people with low income or very high drug costs.
Most Canadians rely on employer-funded drug plans.
Steve Morgan, a University of
British Columbia health economist and leading advocate for a universal drug plan, or pharmacare, said the election results created a “window of opportunity” to change the system.
Universal drug coverage has been proposed before, but the rise of high-cost drugs has given the idea new urgency, as some patients struggle to pay for medication, and employerfunded plans shift high-cost patients to provincial plans, straining budgets without creating the negotiating power that a single federal buyer could wield against drugmakers.
“I think this is our best chance, the best opportunity we’ve ever had to bring pharmacare into the healthcare system,” said Eric Hoskins, who led a federal advisory council on the issue. “I feel even more strongly about that today. I am confident that the Liberals will follow through on their commitment.”
Universal drug coverage would shake up the country’s C$39.8 billion ($30.4 billion) prescription drug market.