by Hassan Yussuff
Nobody should have to choose between buying groceries and paying for the medication they need. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 unions are proud to be playing a leading role in the push for universal pharmacare.
Today, about one-third of working Canadians donSA国际影视传媒檛 have health plans at work. In fact, the less you earn at work, the less likely you are to have any prescription drug coverage.
This means women and young workers SA国际影视传媒� especially those stuck in precarious jobs where employer-funded health coverage is rare SA国际影视传媒� are hardest hit. Even those fortunate enough to have drug plans are paying ever-increasing co-payments and deductibles.
In CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 North, where basic living expenses are so much higher, out-of-pocket medication costs pose even more of a constraint than elsewhere in the country.
Canada is the only developed country in the world with a universal health care program that doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 include a universal prescription drug plan.
Our patchwork prescription drug system is inefficient and expensive. It has left Canadians with wildly varying prescription drug coverage and access. Many are paying different rates for the same medications.
That has resulted in 3.5-million Canadians being unable to afford medication they need. Many are skipping doses, splitting pills, or simply not filling their prescriptions at all.
And doctors warn that itSA国际影视传媒檚 almost impossible to come up with effective care plans when they arenSA国际影视传媒檛 sure their patients can afford to take their medications as prescribed. That, of course, can have serious implications their health, and can end up costing the health care system SA国际影视传媒� and all of us SA国际影视传媒� even more down the road.
So itSA国际影视传媒檚 no surprise that numerous surveys and polls show that Canadians overwhelmingly agree we need pharmacare.
Over the last few months weSA国际影视传媒檝e been campaigning hard SA国际影视传媒� alongside business leaders, doctors, retirees and other allies SA国际影视传媒� and we have seen progress.
Two studies have been released demonstrating that pharmacare would save billions. The first, by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Canadian Doctors for Medicare, estimated almost $11 billion a year in savings for governments, the private sector, and individual Canadians. The second, by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, estimated $4.2 billion a year in savings for the federal government alone.
A few weeks ago, the federal government announced it was creating an advisory council to move the issue forward. And this week, a Parliamentary committee announced its support for pharmacare.
These are great steps forward, but we arenSA国际影视传媒檛 there yet.
Since we launched our online campaign SA国际影视传媒� called A Plan for Everyone SA国际影视传媒� in the fall, more than 50,000 people have signed on in support. I hope readers here will add their voices too.
And I hope that soon, we can celebrate finally having a plan that covers everyone in Canada, regardless of their income, age or where they work or live.
