New Democrats tout universal pharmacare program
If elected, a New Democratic government would create a provincial pharmacare program, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath announced in Kingston Wednesday.
“What it means is that your prescription drugs can be paid for with your OHIP card instead of having to reach into your pocket and pay through your wallet,” Horwath said at a news conference.
“And this will make such a difference in people's lives. We know that there are people who are not able to afford their prescriptions,” Horwath said. “We know that will not only make people well or help them to stay well, but it'll also take pressure off of other parts of our health-care system.”
Horwath said the provincial plan, estimated to cost about $475 million a year, would come into effect shortly after the party is elected and would eventually dovetail into the federal Liberal government's promised pharmacare program when it comes into effect.
Horwath said the plan will save families about $350 a year. Older adults can expect to save about $100 a year.
Universal access to medications would also generate about $1,200 in avoidable health care costs, such as hospitalizations, intensive care and emergency room visits.
Patients with serious medical treatments, such as cancer patients or those with chronic ailments, could save thousands of dollars a year on medication, she added.
In total, universal pharmacare would reduce health care costs by $1.8 billion and lower drug costs by $1.2 billion a year, Horwath said.
The program would incorporate a copayment geared to income, which would be no higher than what is currently in place with the Ontario Drug Benefit.
Most people would pay $6.11 per prescription and low-income earners would pay $2.11.
Canada is the only developed country with universal health care that does not include access to prescription drugs.
Ontario is the only province in Canada that doesn't have a provincially funded pharmacare program.
The NDP estimated that there are about 2.2 million people in Ontario who have no drug coverage.
Kingston and the Islands NDP candidate Mary Rita Holland said about 70 per cent of visits to doctors end with a prescription being written out for the patient.
“If you're lucky enough to have family doctor, you go to see the doctor, you talk about what's going on and they'll give you a prescription,” Holland said.
“For many people, they're not able to get that prescription filled, which essentially means they're not accessing health care,” she continued.
“So pharmacare is an affordability issue,” Holland added.
“It's something that we're offering as part of this election because we know people are really stretched in every possible way.”