Parties spar over universal access to abortion pill in Saskatchewan

REGINA The NDP is joining medical students in pushing the provincial government to grant universal coverage for medical abortion pills, but the minister of health challenged claims that Saskatchewan women face major barriers accessing the drug.

During question period Tuesday, Jim Reiter said he had a productive meeting with members of the Student Medical Society of Saskatchewan’s affairs and advocacy committee last week. They’d come to argue for universal public coverage of Mifegymiso, a two-stage medication that can safely induce an abortion during the first nine weeks of pregnancy. Reiter said he assured them he would “review the situation.”

But he warned that universal public coverage could simply shift the cost of the drug from insurers to taxpayers.

His statement came in response to a question from NDP health critic Vicki Mowat, who warned that most women prescribed the pill had to pay out of pocket. Prices for Mifegymiso run into the hundreds, and Mowat argued the financial burden can hit rural women hardest.

“These costs can be a barrier to access, especially for women in rural and remote communities who can’t access surgical abortions and would need to incur additional travel costs if they were unable to afford the pill,” she said.

Reiter later cast doubt on that argument during a scrum with reporters.

“The opposition asked the question as though it was a matter of accessibility,” he said. “We don’t believe it is. Physicians across the province can prescribe. It’s more a question of whether or not you provide universal coverage.”

He noted Saskatchewan offers drug cost assistance for people with low incomes.

“The opposition is kind of putting it in terms of ‘Well, if somebody doesn’t want to pay this or can’t afford to pay it, the alternative is a surgical abortion.’ That just simply isn’t the case,” Reiter said. “Our most vulnerable, our lowest-income people are likely covered under a variety of plans that we have to cover them.”

Asked about the logic of covering surgical abortions, but not medical abortions that many view as less intrusive and more cost effective, Reiter said that’s the way the medical system is designed. The universal system covers most procedures, but few drugs.

Samuel Simonson, one of the six medical students who met with Reiter last week, watched question period again on Wednesday. He agreed with Mowat that there are barriers for rural women. But they’re not the only ones.

“It’s a lot of younger people,” he said. “A lot of people with lower-paying jobs that don’t qualify for social assistance.

“We’re still looking for that universal net that would scoop everyone and kind of lift them up and allow women to actually make a choice regarding their abortion decision.”

He said he’s nonetheless staying hopeful Reiter’s review will get results.

Saskatchewan is the only province that doesn’t offer universal coverage for Mifegymiso, though Manitoba only covers the costs at three clinics. But Saskatchewan has expanded access since 2017, notably by adding it to the Saskatchewan drug plan and by allowing nurse practitioners to prescribe the drug.

Both Reiter and Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit brushed aside any notion that the Saskatchewan Party was delaying on joining the emerging cross-canada consensus for ideological reasons, or because of the personal beliefs of its members.

“I try to keep my personal beliefs outside of my job,” said Ottenbreit, who stressed the government is increasing access to all health services.

“It all comes down to personal choice ... you can’t legislate people’s morality or their choices.”