Universal Pharmacare in Canada: A Prescription for Equity in Healthcare

Document Type : Editorial

Authors

1 School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

2 Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Abstract

Despite progressive universal drug coverage and pharmaceutical policies found in other countries, Canada remains the only developed nation with a publicly funded healthcare system that does not include universal coverage for prescription drugs. In the absence of a national pharmacare plan, a province may choose to cover a specific sub-population for certain drugs. Although different provinces have individually attempted to extend coverage to certain subpopulations within their jurisdictions, out-of-pocket expenses on drugs and pharmaceutical products (OPEDP) accounts for a large proportion of out-of-pocket health expenses (OPHE) that are catastrophic in nature. Pharmaceutical drug coverage is a major source of public scrutiny among politicians and policy-makers in Canada. In this editorial, we focus on social inequalities in the burden of OPEDP in Canada. Prescription drugs are inconsistently covered under patchworks of public insurance coverage, and this inconsistency represents a major source of inequity of healthcare financing. Residents of certain provinces, rural households and Canadians from poorer households are more likely to be affected by this inequity and suffer disproportionately higher proportions of catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses on drugs and pharmaceutical products (COPEDP). Universal pharmacare would reduce COPEDP and promote a more equitable healthcare system in Canada.

Highlights

Commentaries Published on this Paper and Lewis Paper

 

  •  National Pharmacare in Canada: Equality or Equity, Accessibility or Affordability; Comment on “Universal Pharmacare in Canada: A Prescription for Equity in Healthcare”

            Abstract | PDF

 

  •  It’s Time to Finally Kill the Zombies; Comment on “Universal Pharmacare in Canada”

             Abstract | PDF

 

  • The Challenges of Canadian Pharmacare Are More Complicated Than Acknowledged; Comment on “Pharmacare in Canada”

            Abstract | PDF

 

  • Separated at Birth: The Politics of Pharmacare for All in Canada and Medicare for All in the United States; Comment on “Universal Pharmacare in Canada"

          Abstract | PDF

 

  • Understanding the Battle for Universal Pharmacare in Canada; Comment on “Universal Pharmacare in Canada”

          Abstract | PDF

 

Authors' Response to the Commentaries

  • Universal Pharmacare – Redressing Social Inequities in the Canadian Health System: A Response to Recent Commentaries

          Abstract | PDF

 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 9, Issue 3
March 2020
Pages 91-95

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 September 2019
  • Revise Date: 13 October 2019
  • Accept Date: 14 October 2019
  • First Publish Date: 01 March 2020

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