IM-Wyonch_2024_0318.pub

The legislation allows for transfers to provinces and territories to “provide universal, single-payer, first-dollar coverage,” but only for diabetes and contraceptive prescriptions – there is no such requirement for other treatment categories as the formulary expands. [...] The top 50 drugs prescribed to people in the lowest income quintile, where affordability challenges presumably are greatest, led to $1.02 billion in spending and for up to 7.42 million beneficiaries. [...] Even if the government is able to reduce prices through bulk purchasing, the eventual cost to taxpayers will be more than the $1.5 billion estimate, particularly if the formulary expands in the future. [...] The recent legislation sets a foundation for universal public coverage of diabetes and contraceptives, but it lacks the blueprints for continuing to build universal and comprehensive pharmacare programs across the country. [...] To ensure that national pharmacare can address the unmet needs of Canadians both now and in future, any new system has to be built on a strong foundation of sustainability in finance and transparency in writing the formulary.