CARP exposes unfair drug coverage practices
Article By: Peter Muggeridge
Politicians and bureaucrats have better access to drugs.
A recent CARP study reveals politicians and bureaucrats enjoy far wider drug coverage than do many Canadian seniors. The findings are raising further questions about unfair coverage of prescription medicines in Canada.
“The results of this study are very disturbing,” said Lillian Morgenthau, CARP’s president. “Access to medicines is an essential part of ensuring the health and quality of life of the 50-plus. Why shouldn’t CARP members – and indeed, all Canadians who rely on these drug benefit programs – have access to the same medicines as our politicians and bureaucrats do?”
As part of its NO MORE WAITING campaign, CARP released the study in January. It compares the drug coverage enjoyed by elected and public officials with the coverage seniors and low-income Canadians receive through drug plans in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and those managed by the federal government for Canadian aboriginals, veterans and soldiers.
The study uncovers a large discrepancy of access and coverage enjoyed by politicians and bureaucrats over those who rely on public drug plans. Wyatt Health Management, commissioned by CARP to perform the study, looked at the Common Drug Review (CDR), which recommends whether new drugs should be covered on Canada’s federal and provincial drug plans.
Specifically, Wyatt looked at 73 drugs, already approved by Health Canada, which had been submitted to CDR as of Jan. 12, 2007. Of those 73 drugs, CDR recommended that 28 be covered in provincial and federal drug plans. However, the study showed that of these 28:
• Only 15 of these drugs are reimbursed by the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan, yet 27 are covered for Ontario MPPs and bureaucrats under their own plan.
• Only 15 are reimbursed by British Columbia drug plans, yet B.C. politicians and bureaucrats are covered for 27 under their own plan.
• Soldiers and aboriginals are only reimbursed for 10 and 15 respectively, while MPs and federal bureaucrats are covered for 27 drugs under their own plan. The study also found that of the 73 drugs submitted for review, CDR recommended that 25 of them not be listed in provincial drug plans. Of these 25:
• Only one is reimbursed under the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan, yet Ontario MPPs and bureaucrats are covered for all 25 under their own plan.
• Only two are reimbursed under the BC drug plans, yet B.C. MLAs and bureaucrats are covered for all 25 under their own plan.
• Only three are reimbursed to soldiers and aboriginals while federal MPs and bureaucrats are covered for all 25 under their own plan.
None of this sits well with CARP. “Ideally, we would like to have all drugs that are approved by Health Canada to be covered by provincial and federal drug plans,” said Morgenthau, a demand which CARP made in its No More Waiting campaign. “However, failing that, it is simply unacceptable that there isn’t even full coverage of the 28 drugs recommended by the government’s own Common Drug Review. We believe Canadians deserve better than that.”
The NO MORE WAITING campaign calls on federal and provincial government to improve service in three areas:
• Wait time guarantees.
• Immediate coverage under all provincial drug benefit programs for all drugs approved by Health Canada.
• $2 billion to be earmarked by the federal government for family caregivers respite. For more information, go to www.CARP.ca or www.nomorewaiting.info.
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE “The results of this study are very disturbing. Access to medicines is an essential part of ensuring the health and quality of life of the 50-plus. Why shouldn’t CARP members – and indeed, all Canadians who rely on these drug benefit programs – have access to the same medicines as our politicians and bureaucrats?” says Lillian Morgenthau
Article By: Peter Muggeridge
Politicians and bureaucrats have better access to drugs.
A recent CARP study reveals politicians and bureaucrats enjoy far wider drug coverage than do many Canadian seniors. The findings are raising further questions about unfair coverage of prescription medicines in Canada.
“The results of this study are very disturbing,” said Lillian Morgenthau, CARP’s president. “Access to medicines is an essential part of ensuring the health and quality of life of the 50-plus. Why shouldn’t CARP members – and indeed, all Canadians who rely on these drug benefit programs – have access to the same medicines as our politicians and bureaucrats do?”
As part of its NO MORE WAITING campaign, CARP released the study in January. It compares the drug coverage enjoyed by elected and public officials with the coverage seniors and low-income Canadians receive through drug plans in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and those managed by the federal government for Canadian aboriginals, veterans and soldiers.
The study uncovers a large discrepancy of access and coverage enjoyed by politicians and bureaucrats over those who rely on public drug plans. Wyatt Health Management, commissioned by CARP to perform the study, looked at the Common Drug Review (CDR), which recommends whether new drugs should be covered on Canada’s federal and provincial drug plans.
Specifically, Wyatt looked at 73 drugs, already approved by Health Canada, which had been submitted to CDR as of Jan. 12, 2007. Of those 73 drugs, CDR recommended that 28 be covered in provincial and federal drug plans. However, the study showed that of these 28:
• Only 15 of these drugs are reimbursed by the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan, yet 27 are covered for Ontario MPPs and bureaucrats under their own plan.
• Only 15 are reimbursed by British Columbia drug plans, yet B.C. politicians and bureaucrats are covered for 27 under their own plan.
• Soldiers and aboriginals are only reimbursed for 10 and 15 respectively, while MPs and federal bureaucrats are covered for 27 drugs under their own plan. The study also found that of the 73 drugs submitted for review, CDR recommended that 25 of them not be listed in provincial drug plans. Of these 25:
• Only one is reimbursed under the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan, yet Ontario MPPs and bureaucrats are covered for all 25 under their own plan.
• Only two are reimbursed under the BC drug plans, yet B.C. MLAs and bureaucrats are covered for all 25 under their own plan.
• Only three are reimbursed to soldiers and aboriginals while federal MPs and bureaucrats are covered for all 25 under their own plan.
None of this sits well with CARP. “Ideally, we would like to have all drugs that are approved by Health Canada to be covered by provincial and federal drug plans,” said Morgenthau, a demand which CARP made in its No More Waiting campaign. “However, failing that, it is simply unacceptable that there isn’t even full coverage of the 28 drugs recommended by the government’s own Common Drug Review. We believe Canadians deserve better than that.”
The NO MORE WAITING campaign calls on federal and provincial government to improve service in three areas:
• Wait time guarantees.
• Immediate coverage under all provincial drug benefit programs for all drugs approved by Health Canada.
• $2 billion to be earmarked by the federal government for family caregivers respite. For more information, go to www.CARP.ca or www.nomorewaiting.info.
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE “The results of this study are very disturbing. Access to medicines is an essential part of ensuring the health and quality of life of the 50-plus. Why shouldn’t CARP members – and indeed, all Canadians who rely on these drug benefit programs – have access to the same medicines as our politicians and bureaucrats?” says Lillian Morgenthau