Ontario wants more details before committing to national pharmacare plan, health minister says

The Ontario government needs to see details before it decides whether to sign on to a new national pharmacare plan unveiled in Ottawa on Thursday, says Health Minister Sylvia Jones.

"Honestly, I'm waiting for details," Jones told reporters in Toronto on Thursday. 

"We need to see and assess what the federal government is proposing and how it matches, conflicts, works with the Ontario system that is already here."

On Thursday, the federal government tabled a bill that paves the way for a universal drug program. The bill allows the government to negotiate with provinces and territories to cover birth control, along with diabetes drugs and supplies, for anyone with a health card.

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland said the cost is likely to be in the realm of $1.5 billion, but he said that estimate is very likely to change over the course of his talks with provinces.

Jones said she spoke to Holland earlier this week, adding the province has a "robust" system of prescription drug coverage, particularly when it comes to diabetes.

"I'm not writing off anything but I'm also not buying into something where I don't know exactly what's there," Jones added. "The assessment truly has to happen."

In an email on Thursday, the Ontario health ministry said it looks forward to "further conversations" with the federal government, but noted that the province already provides publicly funded drug coverage for nearly half of Ontario's population through OHIP+ and the Trillium Drug Plan.

Under OHIP+, the province provides more than 5,000 drug products free of charge to people 24 and younger not covered by private plans. Under the Trillium drug plan, the provinces subsidizes people whose drug costs are relatively high given their income.

The Alberta and Quebec governments said before the bill was introduced in Parliament that they would opt out of the program.

Ontario NDP urges province to commit to program

In question period, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles pressed the government for an answer on whether it will sign on to the program. She said the program will provide relief to people living with chronic illnesses, seniors, people living with disabilities, and is something New Democrats at all levels have worked on for years.

"Will you commit to ensuring that all Ontarians have access to essential medication and devices through single-payer coverage?"  Stiles asked.

Robin Martin, parliamentary secretary to the health minister, replied: "Our government prefers to wait to see what the federal government is going to propose by way of a pharmacare program before we say what our position will be on that, but we're looking forward to receiving a clear description of what they are going to be proceeding with."

In a news release on Thursday, the Ontario New Democrats added that the plan's success depends on whether Ontario signs onto it.

Stiles said in the release: "People shouldn't have to choose between essential diabetes medication, contraceptives and food. It's pretty simple: universal health care must include pharmacare."

Diabetes Canada, Planned Parenthood Toronto pleased by deal

Glenn Thibeault, executive director of government affairs and advocacy for Diabetes Canada, said the organization hears from Ontarians on its 1-800 line, who say they are making tough decisions due to the cost of medicine.

"We ration our insulin, we ration our medications," Thibeault said they tell the organization.

"Even if they have coverage through a private plan, private plans don't always cover the 100 per cent. And so we're still talking thousands of dollars at the end of the year that an individual who is living with diabetes has to go through every year," he said.

The pharmacare plan will improve the quality of life of people with diabetes and could mean fewer trips to the emergency room because they will be better able to manage glucose levels, he said.

Dr. Allison Rosen, a family physician at Planned Parenthood Toronto and University of Toronto student health, said she was "really excited" when she heard the news about the national pharmacare plan. 

Rosen said contraceptives can be costly, with IUDs costing $300 to $400 and emergency contraceptives, such as Plan B, costing $30 to $40. Barriers to access mean people end up with unwanted pregnancies, she said.

"This is such an important part of health care. Contraceptive access, universally, can save lives, change lives, for so many people in Ontario," Rosen said.

"I am hopeful that they will act in the best interests of Ontarians and participate in it and that would be truly historic for so many people."

Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, said the plan doesn't go far enough and should cover all medications. But given limited resources, the federal government should target the program to the lowest income people in Canada, he said.

"Our ask would be for the province of Ontario to push back a little bit and maintain that mixed model of public-private, make sure that people that move from the private system to a public one don't get covered for less medications," he said.