The bill creating a framework for a national single-payer pharmacare program for Canada was introduced in Parliament last week. Bill C-64 or the Pharmacare Act is the first phase of a national program for prescription drug coverage. The first phase will cover a number of contraception and diabetes medications.

Here are the top things to know about the need for universal pharmacare in our province.

For small businesses, many of which cannot afford drug benefits for their employees, pharmacare could make it easier to recruit and retain employees and maintain a healthy workforce. Research from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto explains that the average business owner who provides drug coverage could save over $750 annually per employee. In fact, the Calgary and Edmonton Chambers of Commerce released a joint statement last week asking the province to explore pharmacare to retain Alberta’s competitiveness for job creators and the labour force.

Prescription drug coverage varies depending on your province and from person to person. In Alberta, three programs cover prescription drugs for people living on low incomes and seniors. If a family of four has an income over $36,634 (note: the poverty line in Calgary is $55,771 for a family of four), they don’t qualify for the low-income programs. That’s where the Non-Group Coverage program administered by Alberta Blue Cross kicks in. The monthly premium for a family is $118 per month and you pay 30% of the cost of the prescription to a maximum of $25. There is also a subsidized option if you meet certain criteria and have an income under $39,250. Then your monthly premium is $82.60, but you still need to pay up to $25 per prescription.

Despite all these programs, 17% of Albertans don’t have coverage. A couple of hundred dollars for a premium and a 30% co-pay may seem reasonable to many, but for a family at the poverty line of $55,771 that could mean making trade-offs on other basic necessities.

When you don’t have coverage, you’re more likely to not adhere to a prescription. One-quarter of Canadians reported splitting pills, skipping doses, or deciding not to fill or renew a prescription due to cost according to this Leger poll.

A Prescription for Canada: Achieving Pharmacare for All says removing patient costs for the medications used to treat diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory conditions would result in up to 220,000 fewer emergency room visits, and 90,000 fewer hospital stays annually–about $1.2 billion in healthcare savings annually.

The first phase of the proposed pharmacare program would provide free contraception. This would reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in Alberta, which cost the healthcare system an estimated $40 million per year according to Project EmpowHER. They cite research on their website that says $1 invested in universal contraception results in up to $9 total cost savings across the public sector.

Did you know Canada spends more on medication than all but three OECD member countries? Coordinating our purchasing could make a real difference according to this 2019 Health Canada report. “[Universal Pharmacare] will reduce the inefficiencies of the tens of thousands of private plans, which cost three times more to run than public plans. It will replace multiple buyers with a single purchaser, one that has the clout and authority to negotiate the best, lowest prices for prescription medications.” The report estimates the annual savings from pharmacare efficiencies would be about $5 billion per year.

Universal pharmacare is pretty popular. 82% of Canadians agree the federal government has a responsibility to ensure there is prescription drug coverage for all people living in Canada and 83% support universal coverage of contraceptives.

While we know it won’t be easy and it could take many years to fully implement, universal pharmacare will make a huge difference to the health and lives of our community. We call on the Alberta government to do what’s right for people with inadequate medication coverage, small businesses, and taxpayers by working with the federal government on this important policy measure.