“Minister Holland’s recent letter to SOCI regarding the impact of Bill C-64 on private insurance in Canada confirms our concerns: Bill C-64 will indeed displace the private market for drug coverage in Canada, which currently benefits 27 million Canadians. Disrupting the private insurance market in Canada presents serious threats to Canadians’ access to new innovative treatments, which would lead to serious impacts on Canadians’ health and wellness.
In testimony to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA), the Minister said ‘…we have to work it out for each province, but the idea is that you would have choice. Somebody who has existing coverage can continue to use that coverage.’ Now, he says to SOCI, ‘Under this program, the cost of these medications will be paid for and administered through the public plan, rather than through a mix of public and private payers.’ These contradictory remarks from the Minister reflect the fundamental ambiguity in Bill C-64 that we believe should have been clarified and addressed long before the legislation got to this stage.
Our industry will continue to assist government in developing a pharmacare plan that will elevate Canadians’ access to new innovative treatments. Since the tabling of Bill C-64, our industry has presented reasonable and affordable suggestions to enhance Canadians’ drug coverage without impacting the employer-sponsored plans that many Canadians benefit from, yet government has been unwilling to consider our input and perspectives.
We call on the government to introduce amendments to Bill C-64 that would clarify the impact of this important legislation on all aspects of Canadians’ drug coverage. We urge reconsideration of a pharmacare plan that elevates Canadians’ access to medicines without disrupting existing coverage. We want to emphasize our support for any effort that genuinely enhances the well-being of Canadians. Together, we can shape a pharmacare program that enables both innovation and timely access to the medicines and treatments Canadians need, when they need them.”
This statement can be attributed to Bettina Hamelin, President of Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC).
