Quote:
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The parliamentary budget officer says a single-payer universal drug plan would cost federal and provincial governments $11.2 billion in the first year, and $13.4 billion in five years.
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pha...993741?cmp=rss
This is really a no-brainer. And you know how I know that?
Quote:
In a statement Thursday, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association said shifting from private to public coverage for pharmaceuticals is a bad move.
"A single-payer program will spend unnecessary billions to disrupt existing workplace health benefit plans that are already making a larger number of prescription drugs more affordable for millions," said Stephen Frank, president and CEO of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association.
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Ya, the people who hate it have a vested interest in not losing their profits.
One thing I haven't seen in this discussion(and it may be there, I didn't read the report) is that if we save costs on company funded drug plans, those vacated dollars should be recaptured(increase payroll tax?) to pay for pharmacare. The end result is workers wouldn't notice a difference on their paycheck, but coverage would be expanded to be universal, since many people do not have employer plans.
Sadly, I'm sure Danielle Smith will immediately fight this and Albertans will be left behind.