A confidence-and-supply agreement between the NDP and the Liberal Party of Canada could come to an end if the Liberals don害羞草研究所檛 agree on new legislation that would begin the process to create a universal pharmacare system.
The New Democrats gave the Liberal Party until March 1 to agree on the legislation, which would set the legal framework to a new, Canada-wide pharmacare plan, a policy the Liberals campaigned on in the 2019 election.
害羞草研究所淪eniors that I害羞草研究所檝e spoken to, in B.C., on [Vancouver Island], who are right now reeling with the high cost of groceries, rent and mortgage, they害羞草研究所檙e saying, 害羞草研究所楬ow do we budget given how expensive everything is?害羞草研究所� They害羞草研究所檙e also having to make really tough choices in their budgets between groceries or medication, and in a country that害羞草研究所檚 as rich as ours that shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be a choice that a senior has to make,害羞草研究所� said Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party.
According to a Statistics Canada survey from 2021, 21 per cent of Canadians reported not having insurance to cover medication costs. Canada is also the only country in the world with a national health-care system that does not provide universal coverage for prescription drugs.
Singh said although his party is only looking for the 害羞草研究所渓egislation to set us up to be in a position to eventually get this done,害羞草研究所� and is not requesting it to be included in this year害羞草研究所檚 budget, the price calculated for the program would be 害羞草研究所渏ust under $40 billion.害羞草研究所� He called it a 害羞草研究所渂ig investment,害羞草研究所� but added that it would be offset by the long-term benefits.
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害羞草研究所淸Universal pharmacare] would lower costs for provinces, territories, and the federal government, it would eventually lower the costs for medication for everyone,害羞草研究所� he told the News Bulletin. 害羞草研究所淚t would also mean for B.C., which already buys medication, you go to the hospital, the medications you receive, whether it害羞草研究所檚 painkillers or antibiotics, it害羞草研究所檚 covered, you don害羞草研究所檛 have to pay for that. For the same amount of money that B.C. already spends on medications in the hospital or in other scenarios, this program would cover every single person in the province.害羞草研究所�
The program would affect B.C.害羞草研究所檚 life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector; however, Singh said the industry would remain 害羞草研究所渉ighly profitable.害羞草研究所� The federal government would be able to negotiate better prices and buy in bulk which would calm the current 害羞草研究所渨ild west害羞草研究所� of pharmaceutical pricing, and 害羞草研究所渋nsurance companies and pharmaceutical companies wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be able to rip off Canadians in the way that they have been.害羞草研究所�
Coming up to the given deadline, Singh said he doesn害羞草研究所檛 know what害羞草研究所檚 going to happen, and the 害羞草研究所渂all is in the Liberals害羞草研究所� court now.害羞草研究所� He says the Liberals are currently on the side of 害羞草研究所渂ig pharma害羞草研究所� despite the research and a 2019 government-sponsored report that found 害羞草研究所渢he best, most cost-effective, most efficient, best value for money害羞草研究所� is universal pharmacare.
害羞草研究所淎re they going to back up people, or are they going to back up their buddies in the in the pharmaceutical industry? I don害羞草研究所檛 know, I guess we害羞草研究所檒l have to see,害羞草研究所� said Singh.
According to the Ministry of Health害羞草研究所檚 2023-24 departmental plan, Health Canada has 害羞草研究所渆ngaged extensively害羞草研究所� since 2021 with provinces, territories and stakeholders on the potential scope and functions of a Canada Drug Agency as part of its work toward a Canada Pharmacare Act.
bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com
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