Canadian Health Coalition
  • Donate
  • Menu Canvas
    • CHC Home
    • News
    • About us
    • Campaigns
    • Take action
    • Contact
  • hello@healthcoalition.ca
  • 343-558-1788
Donate OR Subscribe
    • English
Canadian Health Coalition
  • Home
  • About us
    • Our Team
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Take action
  • Contact
  • Donate

    Support the Canadian Health Coalition

    $
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $55.00 One Time

NDP-Liberal agreement provides “momentum” for pharmacare, says CLC

Homepage Commentary NDP-Liberal agreement provides “momentum” for pharmacare, says CLC
Commentary

NDP-Liberal agreement provides “momentum” for pharmacare, says CLC

March 30, 2022
By CDN Health Coalition
0 Comment
703 Views

By Pat Van Horne, USW member of the CHC Board of Directors

The President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) says that the confidence-and-supply agreement struck between the Liberals and the NDP is historic, and provides momentum to finally more forward on pharmacare.

CLC President Bea Bruske told The Hill Times newspaper, “the parties have talked about this for a long period of time…but now putting it on the table as part of this kind of an agreement makes it feel like it’s within reach. We are going to be pushing to make sure it actually gets done.”

Bruske said implementation of pharmacare is “first out of the gate” in terms of priorities for the CLC and its affiliated unions. The CLC is a member of the Canadian Health Coalition. She said that many Canadian workers are in the position of trying to stretch their medication supply because they don’t have enough money to refill their prescriptions on time, and many face the choice of buying medications or affording groceries.

We are going to be pushing to make sure it actually gets done

CLC PRESIDENT BEA BRUSKE

“If they’re lucky enough to have a benefit plan that covers prescription drugs, it doesn’t necessarily cover all types of prescriptions, [or] it doesn’t necessarily cover the amount of prescriptions individuals have to take.”

Pharmacare can also help save money in the health care system, because Canadians are less likely to need repeat visits to the doctor’s office or trips to the ER when they can more easily access their prescription medication, Bruske added.

The Hill Times article also reports that some government relations consultants believe the NDP-Liberal agreement has opened the door for advocacy related to health care and long-term projects in advance of the 2022 federal budget.

According to Summa Strategies consultant Daniel Perry, “If you’re [in] long-term care, pharmacare or the dentistry industry, this is your time to have your issue heard and have it be one of the pillars this government moves on in budget 2022.”

The agreement, announced on March 22, calls on the NDP and Liberals to work together until 2025 on seven key policy areas, including health, housing affordability, and action on climate change. Health care priorities include a promise to pass a Canada Pharmacare Act by the end of 2023, and to launch a dental care program for low-income Canadians.

The 2022 federal budget will be released on April 7.  Implementing a national pharmacare program was a Liberal campaign promise in 2019. However, the party’s 2021 election platform did not include a specific commitment toward implementation.

Former Ontario Health minister Dr. Eric Hoskins led a Liberal-appointed advisory council in 2018, whose final report was released in June 2019. It recommended the federal government opt for a “single-payer” system, which would move all Canadians onto one national public drug plan to replace the “mixed-payer” model, where drug coverage is available through a patchwork of existing private insurance plans and public plans.

Tags: Health+Hope 2025 Pharmacare

Previous Story
CUPE calls for long-term care standards to include hours of care, full-time jobs, sick leave
Next Story
Manitobans want public health care improved, not privatization 

Related Articles

Federal meeting with premiers on health care planned for February 7 in Ottawa

The Premiers’ coalition collapsed, allowing progress for a funding deal

Patients have a right to affordable drugs: Joel Lexchin

Health files | Stopping Big Pharma and private health clinics

Recent Posts

  • Saying goodbye to Nell Toussaint — a health care hero for undocumented migrants in Canada Jan 25, 2023
  • Federal meeting with premiers on health care planned for February 7 in Ottawa Jan 25, 2023
  • Patients have a right to affordable drugs: Joel Lexchin Jan 25, 2023
  • Ford’s health care plans are dangerous, says Toronto Star Jan 17, 2023
  • Virtual care has a place — in the public system Jan 17, 2023

Tags

Canada Health Transfer Canadian Health Coalition COVID-19 Dental Care Federal Election 44 Health+Hope 2025 Health Care Workers Health Policy Home care Long-term Care Medicare Mental Health Pharmacare Plasma Privatization Racism Reproductive Health Care

Cdn Health Coalition Follow

HealthCoalition

Premier Doug Ford should explain why he underfunds public health care https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2023/01/26/ford-should-explain-why-he-underfunds-public-health-care.html via @torontostar #profitdoesntcare

Reply on Twitter 1618762550728069122 Retweet on Twitter 1618762550728069122 5 Like on Twitter 1618762550728069122 5 Twitter 1618762550728069122
Canadian Health Coalition
116 Albert St. Suite 300
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G3
+343.558.1788
hello@healthcoalition.ca
  • Home
  • What we do
  • Campaigns
  • News
  • Contact

Find posts prior to January 1, 2021
SearchPostsLogin
Wednesday, 25, Jan
Saying goodbye to Nell Toussaint — a health care hero for undocumented migrants in Canada
Wednesday, 25, Jan
Federal meeting with premiers on health care planned for February 7 in Ottawa
Wednesday, 25, Jan
Patients have a right to affordable drugs: Joel Lexchin
Tuesday, 17, Jan
Ford’s health care plans are dangerous, says Toronto Star
Tuesday, 17, Jan
Virtual care has a place — in the public system
Tuesday, 10, Jan
Put aside politicking and get down to productive discussions: Linda Silas

Welcome back,