The Government of Alberta will not be part of the newly announced federal pharmacare plan.
Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said on Monday, February 26, 2024, that the province was never consulted and that she was not able to provide any input.
She explains that all provinces and territories provide different types and amounts of drug coverage to their residents through different insurance partners. Because of this, LaGrange said federal Health Minister Mark Holland should have spoken with his provincial counterparts before approving such a significant deal.
The minister told members of the media that Alberta already has a “very robust” pharmacare system with a comprehensive list of drug coverage programs that help Albertans pay for their medications and related supplies.
She also pointed to the province’s pharmacare partnership with Alberta Blue Cross, although it was noted that people need to pay into that system out-of-pocket to receive coverage.
LaGrange stated her belief that the deal reached between the federal Liberals and NDP appears to be more about maintaining political connections than actually helping Canadians.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said over the weekend that pharmacare was a key part of the supply and confidence arrangement that sees the Liberals pass some key NDP policies in exchange for the New Democrats supporting the minority Liberals.
LaGrange said she typically has good relations with the federal health minister, so she is not sure why nobody had reached out to her to discuss pharmacare solutions.
Instead of supporting the national plan, LaGrange said she wants Ottawa to provide per capita funding directly to Alberta.
From there, the provincial government could use that money to bolster its already-existing programs. However, she did not specify which programs would receive priority for top-up funding.
According to LaGrange, it is unclear at this time how much money Alberta could receive if they reached such a partnership with the feds.
There are already several federal programs in which the Quebec government receives capita funding due to it opting out of them, so LaGrange wants Ottawa to do the same with Alberta.
LaGrange said she has requested a meeting with minister Holland.
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Meantime, Dr. Luanne Metz, Alberta NDP Critic for Health, and Julia Hayter, Alberta NDP Status of Women Critic, issued the following statements in response to the announcement:
Metz
“Pharmacare is an addition to our universal health care system that we have been waiting for since Medicare was first introduced in 1968. It is a critical part of ensuring access to life-saving medications that Canadians and Albertans need, without having to worry about whether or not they can afford them.
“Instead of embracing the new program, Danielle Smith has predictably rejected it out of hand, before understanding any details. Instead of welcoming assistance for Albertans who are suffering from the affordability crisis, the UCP has continued its schoolyard scrap with the federal government and is bowing to pressure from lobbyists.
“The Alberta NDP supports a national pharmacare program as it is proven to be the most cost-effective way of ensuring that Albertans have access to the medication they need. While there is far more work to be done to realize a program at the scope that is needed, the current announcement assures that some important medications will be available to Albertans. Removing barriers to access these medications will not only help individuals but also reduce the healthcare costs that we all pay for. Furthermore, drug costs will be reduced through massive national buying power.”
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Hayter
“Once again, the UCP has proven that they do not take women’s health seriously by opposing a national Pharmacare program that would ensure access to contraception.
“Women are currently paying more than $10,000 out-of-pocket for contraceptive products. In the midst of the worst affordability crisis we have faced in a generation, one that disproportionately impacts women, the UCP has dug in its heels on a program that would help, simply because they are more interested in picking a fight with the federal government.
“Women in Alberta should have the ability to exercise control over their economic future and health and the Alberta NDP will continue to fight for real-world solutions to the issues like this that Albertans are facing every day.”
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