Despite government claims of its groundbreaking impact, few Canadians are aware of the federal cabinet’s new pharmacare bill, according to recent polling by the Privy Council Office. Blacklock's Reporter says the polling found that even though Health Minister Mark Holland expects the Senate to pass Bill C-64, An Act Respecting Pharmacare, by Thursday, the initiative has gained little public attention.“None were aware of any action from the federal government related to the establishment of a national pharmacare program,” stated the report, titled Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views. Bill C-64 aims to provide free access to certain medications, such as diabetes and contraception treatments, while promising to work toward the implementation of a broader national pharmacare plan at an unspecified date.Although most focus group participants were familiar with the term "pharmacare," few knew any specifics about the program. “Asked whether they would support introduction of a universal pharmacare plan in Canada under which everyone would receive prescription medication coverage, most reported they would,” noted the report.However, prescription drug costs were not identified as the top health care concern for most Canadians. Instead, participants pointed to broader issues like a shortage of healthcare workers, long wait times at clinics and emergency rooms, and backlogs for specialist appointments. “Describing what they viewed as the biggest challenges related to health care provision in their communities, participants identified shortages of doctors and nurses,” said the report.Polling also revealed mixed opinions on the significance of prescription drug costs. While many acknowledged medication expenses were a concern, they ranked it lower compared to other pressing health care challenges. Some participants noted that many Canadians already receive prescription drug coverage through their employers, but expressed concern for those with partial or no coverage, who may face high costs.A national pharmacare plan would come with a hefty price tag. A 2023 Budget Office report estimated the cost of a single-payer pharmacare system would reach $11.2 billion in its first year, with no clear agreement yet on how those costs would be divided between the federal government and provinces.Health Minister Mark Holland, speaking to reporters on October 3, expressed optimism about the bill’s swift passage. “It is moving to the last stages unamended, which means we can get to signing deals and getting to the hard work of actually getting these medications to people,” said Holland. He added that the Senate is expected to pass the bill on October 10, allowing the government to begin working with provinces on implementation.Once signed into law, the pharmacare plan will aim to address the rising costs of essential medications for Canadians, though its full rollout and scope remain to be determined.
Despite government claims of its groundbreaking impact, few Canadians are aware of the federal cabinet’s new pharmacare bill, according to recent polling by the Privy Council Office. Blacklock's Reporter says the polling found that even though Health Minister Mark Holland expects the Senate to pass Bill C-64, An Act Respecting Pharmacare, by Thursday, the initiative has gained little public attention.“None were aware of any action from the federal government related to the establishment of a national pharmacare program,” stated the report, titled Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views. Bill C-64 aims to provide free access to certain medications, such as diabetes and contraception treatments, while promising to work toward the implementation of a broader national pharmacare plan at an unspecified date.Although most focus group participants were familiar with the term "pharmacare," few knew any specifics about the program. “Asked whether they would support introduction of a universal pharmacare plan in Canada under which everyone would receive prescription medication coverage, most reported they would,” noted the report.However, prescription drug costs were not identified as the top health care concern for most Canadians. Instead, participants pointed to broader issues like a shortage of healthcare workers, long wait times at clinics and emergency rooms, and backlogs for specialist appointments. “Describing what they viewed as the biggest challenges related to health care provision in their communities, participants identified shortages of doctors and nurses,” said the report.Polling also revealed mixed opinions on the significance of prescription drug costs. While many acknowledged medication expenses were a concern, they ranked it lower compared to other pressing health care challenges. Some participants noted that many Canadians already receive prescription drug coverage through their employers, but expressed concern for those with partial or no coverage, who may face high costs.A national pharmacare plan would come with a hefty price tag. A 2023 Budget Office report estimated the cost of a single-payer pharmacare system would reach $11.2 billion in its first year, with no clear agreement yet on how those costs would be divided between the federal government and provinces.Health Minister Mark Holland, speaking to reporters on October 3, expressed optimism about the bill’s swift passage. “It is moving to the last stages unamended, which means we can get to signing deals and getting to the hard work of actually getting these medications to people,” said Holland. He added that the Senate is expected to pass the bill on October 10, allowing the government to begin working with provinces on implementation.Once signed into law, the pharmacare plan will aim to address the rising costs of essential medications for Canadians, though its full rollout and scope remain to be determined.
