A raft of cabinet ministers gathered at the Centertown Community Health Centre in Ottawa to announce that the government was tabling pharmacare legislation on Thursday, one day before the deadline set by the supply and confidence agreement with the NDP.
The legislation would create a framework for an eventual single-payer system, and in the shorter term, provide universal coverage for certain contraceptives and diabetes drugs. Kristy Kirkup and Marieke Walshhave the details on what’s contained in the bill:
The bill is the result of lengthy negotiations between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party. The federal government will now work to implement the program and pass the legislation before the next election, which must happen by fall 2025. At the same time, the federal government also needs the co-operation of the provinces and territories.
The bill says the minister may – if an agreement has been reached to do so – make payments to a province or territory in order to increase any existing public pharmacare coverage and to provide “universal single-payer” coverage for specific prescription drugs and related products intended for contraception or the treatment of diabetes.
The legislation also says the minister must, no later than 30 days after the bill receives royal assent, establish a committee of experts to make recommendations on options for the operation and financing of “national, universal, single-payer pharmacare.”
Health Minister Mark Holland said funding for the program would not be in the coming 2024-25 budget.
