NDP, Liberals strike deal to cover cost of diabetes medicines, birth control

The federal Liberals and New Democrats have reached a deal that would allow every Canadian with a health card to access free diabetes medication and birth control, the NDP confirmed Friday.

The coverage is to be included in the first piece of a national pharmacare program, with legislation expected to be introduced in the House of Commons next week.

It’s a critical piece of the supply-and-confidence pact between the two parties, in which the NDP agreed to support the Liberals on key votes in the Commons in exchange for movement on shared priorities.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh threatened in recent weeks to pull out of the deal if the Liberals didn’t agree to certain terms by a March 1 deadline.

Singh said in an interview Friday that he has received assurance from the government the tabled bill will refer to the principles of the Canada Health Act and to single-payer publicly delivered pharmacare.

The deal includes all insulin for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, Singh said, as well as additional diabetes drugs and a fund for supplies such as devices for glucose monitoring.

Singh said in an interview that it’s “a very significant list of insulin and insulin-like medications.”

However, the program will not include Ozempic, a new medication for diabetes that has been used off-label as a weight-loss drug.

The government is also expected to include contraceptives in line with what British Columbia covers. That includes IUDs and emergency contraception, most commonly known as morning-after pills.

Ontario also provides many contraceptives for people under the age of 25 who don’t have private insurance. Manitoba’s government has already pledged to do so as well.

Abortion pills, which are different than morningafter pills, are already offered for free at pharmacies across Canada.

The New Democrats said birth control coverage will help millions of women and gender-diverse people.

In recent months, both Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have spoken out against a backsliding of abortion access around the world, including in the United States.

Singh said it was important to include coverage for contraceptives in order to protect a woman’s right to choose, and in 2022 he raised the issue to Trudeau after Roe vs. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.*