The Importance Of Universal Health Care In Canada
World health organization states: an affordable access to quality medicines is a critical and fundamental component for proper functioning health systems (WHO, 2016). WHO declared that it is the government’s obligated responsibility to promote necessary health care services, including prescription drugs (Morgan, Law, & Martin, 2015). Canadian medicare is an identifiable national pride. Currently, Canada is the only developed country with universal health system without universal coverage of prescription drugs (Morgan, Law, & Martin, 2015). Canadians are suffering from the highly compromised pharmacare system with variety provincial programs patchwork due to historical factors and lack of political enthusiasm at federal level (Gadnon & Hébert,
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They discovered 23% of Canadians say they or someone in their home cannot afford prescribed drugs and decided not to fill or refill the prescription. Patients chose to skip dose, or split pills due to the cost (Kurl, 2015). Canadian Institute for Health Information reported the total spending on prescription drugs in 2014 exceeded $28.8 billion (CIHI, 2015). The rapid increased costs put unsustainable burden to an eventually systematical failure (Gagnon & Hébert, 2010). 91% Canadians support a national pharmacare program (Kurl, 2015). The central goal for universal public drug policy is to ensure all Canadians have equitable accessibility to prescription drugs when they need. This goal will not be achieved for all the Canadians through selective population groups through the current federal public drug benefit programs or the other patchwork drug plans from provinces and territories. The current Canadian drug plans are directly leading inequitable access to prescription drugs. The patients receive pharmacare mainly based on residence and employment, not the needs. Including prescription drugs in the public health care system will provide a universal and comprehensive coverage of medicines which are best evidenced-based proved treatment for the Canadians’ health care needs. Particularly for those vulnerable population groups this solution will eliminate the accessary barrier to ensure they receive the necessary
They discovered 23% of Canadians say they or someone in their home cannot afford prescribed drugs and decided not to fill or refill the prescription. Patients chose to skip dose, or split pills due to the cost (Kurl, 2015). Canadian Institute for Health Information reported the total spending on prescription drugs in 2014 exceeded $28.8 billion (CIHI, 2015). The rapid increased costs put unsustainable burden to an eventually systematical failure (Gagnon & Hébert, 2010). 91% Canadians support a national pharmacare program (Kurl, 2015). The central goal for universal public drug policy is to ensure all Canadians have equitable accessibility to prescription drugs when they need. This goal will not be achieved for all the Canadians through selective population groups through the current federal public drug benefit programs or the other patchwork drug plans from provinces and territories. The current Canadian drug plans are directly leading inequitable access to prescription drugs. The patients receive pharmacare mainly based on residence and employment, not the needs. Including prescription drugs in the public health care system will provide a universal and comprehensive coverage of medicines which are best evidenced-based proved treatment for the Canadians’ health care needs. Particularly for those vulnerable population groups this solution will eliminate the accessary barrier to ensure they receive the necessary