Covering ‘essential’ drugs could fill health gaps, save billions: researchers
VANCOUVER — New research suggests that providing universal coverage for more than 100 prescription medications could save Canadians as much as $3 billion per year.
A paper published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday says providing all Canadians access to 117 essential medications would cover gaps that currently exist in health-care programs across the country.
Many Canadians don’t realize that up to one in 10 people across the country aren’t filling their prescriptions because they can’t afford the out-of-pocket expenses, said Dr. Nav Persaud, a family doctor at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.
“Most people don’t realize this is even an issue … They figure there was some kind of government program already in place,” said Persaud, who helped create the list of “essential” medications.