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Canada’s healthcare system - any Canadian citizen can get public health insurance that covers most essential health care services. The system is covered by Canadian’s taxes. Every province and territory has slightly different policies, but citizens can receive emergency care for free at any hospital even without a health card.

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Although there are thousands of private drug insurance plans, it is still an extra expense to buy insurance. Even citizens with sufficient insurance plans end up paying an average $1,000 per year on prescriptions. That number may not seem bad compared to American policy where all health expenses must be paid for out of pocket or through insurance. However, when you have a chronic condition that requires daily medication, that $1,000 starts piling up without insurance. Why not just buy insurance then? Insuring your medication can be anywhere from $1,000 - $5,000 annually, and low income citizens do not generally want to spend all of that money up front if they don’t absolutely have to.

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There are two main groups affected by the lack of pharmaceutical coverage in Canada, Senior citizens and people with chronic illnesses/disabilities.

People over 65 usually have some form of medication, and they consume almost 40% of prescription drugs and 25% of over the counter drugs in Canada. That means that without insurance, the average senior would be spending a ton of money of medicine yearly.

People with chronic illnesses or a disability will always have to be paying for medicine, so it is likely that they will invest in insurance. The problem for them is they will end up being charged more for insurance than the average person because of their condition and history.

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In 1947, the first medical insurance program was brought to action in Saskatuan - the first real step to our situation today. A national hospital insurance program was not introduced until Paul Martin Sr.'s presidency. Insurance companies and medical professionals were not happy and fought against it. The Canadian Medical association even opposed government health care in 1960. Five years later, a national health insurance program was set into place. It was not until 1966 that doctors were not allowed to charge whatever they wanted. Now citizens had access to medical care whether they could pay or not. 1978 extra billing was allowed, and 1984 it was banned once again. 2003 brings the "Heath Accord'' which allows for targeted funding in specific areas, and little accountability. In 2006 the CMA pushed for extra-billing to be reinstated, and the "Canadian Doctors for Medicare" was formed. In 2014 the Health Accord expires, and provinces and territories receive federal funds to use how they would like.

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https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/canada-pharmacare-single-payer/

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/new-life-canada/health-care-card.html

https://www.healthcoalition.ca/tools-and-resources/history-of-canadas-public-health-care/

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/new-life-canada/health-care-card.html

https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/drugs/councils/docs/report_private_drug_insurance_ontario.pdf

https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-coverage-prescription-drugs

https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects-start/health

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Further explanation on why PharmaCare won't be an easy feat

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Further explanation on why PharmaCare won't be an easy feat

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Canada has pushed for universal pharmacare before, so why hasn't it stuck?