THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR UNIVERSAL PUBLIC PHARMACARE - By Keith Newman, Board Member

Microsoft Word - Economic case for pharmacare 4.docx THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR UNIVERSAL PUBLIC PHARMACARE By Keith Newman, Board Member February 2019 The Canadian Health Coalition (CHC) was formed in 1979 with the goal of protecting and extending public health care in order to improve the well-being of the population. [...] According to a study by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), if a public drug plan had been in effect in 2015-2016, the savings for employers would have been $9 billion in that year alone.7 The elimination of these overhead costs would enhance the competitiveness of Canadian business. [...] When public health care was introduced 50 years ago, the federal government committed to covering half the cost of services provided by doctors and hospitals.11, 12 The Canadian Health Coalition (CHC) therefore proposes that the federal government fund at least fifty percent of pharmacare, with the provinces funding the rest. [...] They won the election on that basis.40 Our government should invest in the health of Canadians and the benefits it provides for households and employers by implementing pharmacare, regardless of whether it adds to the fiscal deficit. [...] 1) From the perspective of employers, a payroll tax increases the cost of labour and discourages the hiring of new workers.