(Ottawa) A new study from Statistics Canada confirms that financial constraints prevent some people without private or employer-sponsored drug insurance from sticking to their prescriptions.
This is true both for those who have no coverage, but also for those who have some coverage through provincial or federal programs.
The results of the study are released as the New Democrats and the Liberal government negotiate the main principles that will shape a possible federal pharmacare program.
The Liberal government should enshrine these principles in law, under the terms of the support and confidence agreement concluded with the NDP to obtain its support during key votes in the Commons.
Statistics Canada said Wednesday that more than 81% of Canadians had some form of prescription drug coverage in 2019, although the level of coverage can vary significantly depending on the type of plan people have access to, depending on their situation. socio-economic or even by gender.
The agency indicates that it is in Quebec that the coverage rate by any drug insurance plan was the highest in 2019, at 88.8%.
New Democrats have said they want the government to commit to a universal “single-payer” program. The latest deadline to submit the bill is now set for next March.