NDP and Liberals reach deal on pharmacare as deadline looms

The NDP and governing Liberals have reached a deal to introduce the first portion of a nation-wide pharmacare program.

The agreement is a critical piece of the supply-and-confidence pact between the two parties.

It comes just one week before a March 1 deadline to table the legislation.

An NDP spokesperson says some final details may be figured out over the weekend.

The deal includes full coverage for contraceptives similar to what British Columbia covers, which includes emergency contraception and IUDs.

It would also see coverage for all insulin for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as additional diabetes drugs and a fund for supplies such as glucose monitoring.

the government is also expected to fully cover contraceptives including IUDs and emergency contraceptives or Morning After Pills for all ages in addition to the birth control already provided for people under 25 without private insurance.

READ MORE: ‘Big impasse’ remains as Liberal, NDP pharmacare deadline looms: Singh

the NDP says a national pharamacare program will save Canadians $500 a year on average and the public healthcare system nearly $1,500 per patient each year.

Peter Graefe, a political scientist from McMaster University, says the way this deal is being made prevents it from having a full-blown national program, that the NDP and the Liberals have championed for, “you probably don’t get to a place that makes a tangible difference for families trying to pay for a catastrophic drug coverage.”

The initial deadline to reach an agreement was pushed back in December, with both parties agreeing to extend it to March 1.

Legislation is expected to be introduced in the House of Commons next week to finalize the deal. There is no timeline for when the program will begin.

The National Pharmacare System is expected to cost around $40 billion a year.

– With files from The Canadian Press