The Pharmacare Act finally passed through the Senate on Oct. 10, bringing new medication coverage and increased healthcare access for all Canadians, pointing to the beginning of a universal pharmacare program.
According to a news release from the Government of Canada, Bill-C64 passing into law is the first step towards a national universal pharmacare program.
The bill aims to alleviate financial pressure from Canadians and provide universal access to life-saving medications.
“Canadians should not have to choose between purchasing the medications that keep them healthy and putting food on the table,” said Health Canada in the news release.
The Pharmacare Act promises universal access to contraception for Canadians in the hopes of improving reproductive rights. The costly nature of contraceptives is the biggest barrier to reproductive freedom for many women, causing them to opt for cheaper yet less effective methods, if they can access any methods at all, says Health Canada.
The bill will cover several oral birth control pills, copper Intrauterine Devices (IUDs), hormonal IUDs, contraceptive injections, various hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraceptives. A full list of covered brands can be found on the Government of Canada website.
The bill also promises universal access to various diabetes medications and a fund for diabetes devices and supplies.
The bill will cover “first-line treatments for diabetes that lower blood glucose levels,” which includes insulin, metformin and medications used in combination with the two. More information about brand coverage can be found on the Government of Canada website.
The fund for diabetes devices and supplies will be separate from Bill-C64 but helps to fulfill its promise of turning towards universal pharmacare access for Canadians.
The fund will support the purchase of equipment that is necessary for administering insulin, including “syringes, insulin pens and pen tips, or insulin pumps and supplies such as insertion sets and insulin cartridges,” says Health Canada.
The Pharmacare Act requires Canada’s Drug Agency to make a list of essential drugs and medical products to reduce medical costs through a “national bulk purchasing strategy” and a consideration of the appropriate use of prescription medications.
The bill also says that a committee to give recommendations on “the operation and financing of national, universal, single-payer pharmacare in Canada” must be created within 30 days.
The Pharmacare Act was one of the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) priorities included in the now terminated Supply and Confidence Agreement (SACA) they had with the Liberal Party.
The NDP’s health critic Peter Julian emphasized the importance of the passing of this bill, saying “Canada is the only country with universal healthcare that doesn’t have universal pharmacare.”
For the bill to be implemented for all Canadians, the individual provinces and territories must make deals with the Federal Government to discern whether they agree to providing this universal coverage and how they will go about doing so.
Minister of Health Mark Holland says he is confident that he can work with the provinces and territories to sign on to the plan, saying things are looking “very positive” and reassuring that deals will be announced soon.
Although it will take some time for the Pharmacare Act to fully be in motion, the government is on the path to ensuring increased healthcare access for all Canadians.