The new Canadian health care plan – what you need to know

 

By: Brittany Da Silva

 

There is a new Canadian health care plan in the works, which has recently been announced by the federal government in Ottawa. The main issue with the current health care system for a number of individuals is the fact that so many people are left without coverage for prescription drugs under the current program.

 

Recently, the provincial government of Ontario announced that prescription medications will now be free for anyone under the age of 24, provided that they have coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). This new program is expected to cost the province approximately $450 million per year and will affect about four million people in Ontario. In addition to this new OHIP+ program, Ontario’s provincial government already provides pharmaceutical coverage to seniors and those on Ontario Works, which is the financial and employment assistance program in the province.

 

Federal Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, explained that the new nation-wide pharmacare program will be designed to fill the gaps that currently exist within the Canadian health care system. Many Canadians, including those who are self-employed, are without proper health coverage. The new system will look to address these issues. Although there is a lot of planning in the works, it will likely take some time before anything is set in stone. Due to the dramatic changes to Canada’s workforce and the cost of pharmaceutical drugs as of late, Morneau believes that it is important to take the time needed to study the issue carefully.

 

Critics of the federal government’s plan are skeptical of a new health care policy that only seeks to cover prescriptions for those who are under 24, on government assistance, or senior citizens. These individuals believe that until health care is truly universal, with no restrictions, there is still progress to be made. For some, medications can be so expensive that they simply do not purchase the drugs that they need. In this sense, it is important for everyone to have access to the things they need to attain a happy and healthy life. The federal government intends to discover a way to get Canadians the prescription medications that they need, they just need time to figure out how to get there. We will just have to wait and see if Canada will finally attain a universal health care program that includes a public drug plan, or if the federal government will fall short of that goal once again.