Pharmacare: More for Less.
Michael McBane Health Coalition
Canadian
Disclosure: No Commercial Support Presenter Disclosure Presenter:
Michael McBane
Relationships with commercial interests: • • • •
Grants/Research Support: None Speakers Bureau/Honoraria: None Consulting Fees: None Other: None
Our values Health as Public Good Keep people healthy
Integration & Teamwork Protect the vulnerable
Values in conflict Health as Public Good
Health as Commodity
Keep people healthy
Profit from illness
Integration & Teamwork
Fragmentation & Competition
Protect the vulnerable
Exploit vulnerability
True or False The cost of prescription drugs here in Canada are about average compared to countries in Europe. Raise your hand: T or F ?
Canada is the only industrialized country that has universal health insurance but not universal public drug coverage. T or F?
Over 20% of people in Ontario don’t have any kind of drug coverage. T or F?
The Problem 23% of Canadians lack affordable access; Rx costs are 30% above international average; 220,000 hospital patients had serious ADRs and 10,000 deaths, 4th to 6th leading cause of death; *
Rx use driven by advertising not evidence. * Lazarou, J., JAMA, 1998
The Problem Most severe for low income people without employer health benefits
Public & private drug benefit plans under increasing cost pressures
Non adherence due to cost ends up costing healthcare system more
Need to extend public health benefits in Ontario beyond social assistance recipients
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The Opportunity Leadership on expanded access to prescription drugs can come at provincial level
Ontario has played a leadership role in generic drug pricing
Ontario is in good position to keep expanding prescription drug coverage to improve health outcomes and save significant amounts of money.
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Definition ď‚— Pharmacare means a national drug insurance plan that would be publicly funded and administered, control costs, provide universal access for everyone to prescription drugs and ensure the safe and appropriate use of drugs.
ď‚— Pharmacare would cover medically necessary drug costs in the same way that Medicare now covers hospitals and physicians.
Universal Pharmacare‌ 1. Replace U.S.-style plans with universal, first-dollar coverage 2. End the price-fixing and public subsidies of Big Pharm 3. Establish a National Formulary 4. Bulk Purchasing and negotiate competitive pricing 5. Pay only for drugs that are safe and cost-effective 6. Improve prescribing and use appropriately 7. Enforce a complete ban on advertising and off-label promotion
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How to save $10 billion a year.
Amlodipine, a common drug used to reduce blood pressure, is manufactured by an Ontario company, Apotex.
What Drugs to Cover?
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Quebec lesson: Co-pays + deductibles Hospitalization MD visits
E.R. visits
Elderly
+ 35%
+13%
+50%
Welfare recipients
+194%
+22%
+106%
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It’s Time for Pharmacare 1. Universal & Equitable Access 2. Safe & Appropriate Use 3. Cost-controls & Affordable
Take Action Join the Campaign! Sign up at: www.healthcoalition.ca
Get informed: www.pharmacare2020.ca
Talk to your family, friends & co-workers
Contact your MPP & MP
Next steps for Canadians “Democracy is the thing that lets ordinary people do extraordinary things. There isn’t anything we can’t accomplish if we set our minds to it.” - Tommy Douglas
IT’S TIME FOR PHARMACARE Canadians can’t afford not to have it.
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