Pharmacare in Saskatchewan

The Reality of High Prescription Medication Costs

The Saskatchewan Health Coalition is calling for the federal government to initiate dialogue with Saskatchewan for an agreement on Pharmacare.

An Advisory Council on the Implementation of the National Pharmacare Program (2019) report has found that almost 8 million Canadians are paying for prescription costs out of pocket.   It also found that nearly 3 million Canadians said they could not afford their prescription drugs in 2018, of those, 38 per cent had private insurance coverage and 21 per cent had public coverage but it did not cover their medication costs.  Canadians are cutting back on food, utilities or borrowing money in order to pay for their medication. The deadly reality of high prescription costs led to a call for universal pharmacare in Canada, and Canada’s Pharmacare Act came into effect one year ago in October of 2024.  So far implementation has been via federal/provincial agreements in Manitoba, British Columbia, PEI and Yukon, with other provinces having intense interest, including Saskatchewan. 

Not taking medication because of rising costs has major health consequences. The Advisory Council found that there would be fewer hospitalizations and visits to emergency as well as savings of billions every year if Canadians had access to their needed prescription medications for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory conditions.  A Leger study from 2024 found that 1 in 10 Canadians living with these types of health conditions ended up in emergency due to complications from not being able to afford their medications. 

Women, newcomers, seniors, low income earners and young people are disproportionately affected because they tend to work in part‑time, low wage or other types of positions that do not offer prescription coverage. 

A recent study from Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) showed that for nearly 1 in 20 people aged 12 or older, cost is a major barrier to taking medications. Some groups face higher risks for not taking their prescriptions, including women, newcomers and people with diverse sexual orientations. 

In May 2018, a Canadian Federation of Nurses Union (CFNU) study revealed the number of people in Canada who die or fall ill because prescription medications are unaffordable. The study, titled Body Count, shows that lack of, or having limited, prescription drug coverage results in increased deaths and illness among people with treatable conditions, adding even more urgency for the implementation of a universal pharmacare plan.

The study found there was:

·       Up to 70,000 Canadians (age 55+) experiencing deterioration in their health that was avoidable,

·       Up to 12,000 Canadians (age 40+) with cardiovascular disease requiring overnight hospitalization

What is the Saskatchewan Health Coalition?

The Saskatchewan Health Coalition is your dedicated partner in advocating for a publicly funded and administered healthcare system that serves our community.  With a rich history as the birthplace of Medicare, we are a non-partisan, democratic, non-profit coalition, bringing together diverse individuals and organizations to ensure quality care for all.

The journey to universal healthcare in Canada started in 1947 with Saskatchewan introducing public hospital insurance, followed by universal medical care in 1962. Advocacy from various groups, including unions, healthcare workers, farmers, religious organizations, and women's groups, played a pivotal role in expanding social safety nets such as the Canada Health Act in 1984.

We believe that the next step in quality healthcare is implementing Canada's Pharmacare Act.

What is Canada’s Pharmacare Act?

Canada is the only country in the world with a universal public health care system that doesn’t cover prescription medication.  We need a national pharmacare program to ensure everyone in Canada can access the medications they need. This program must be public, universal, comprehensive, accessible and portable.  Pharmacare would save money and save lives.

The Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare recommended a single-payer and public pharmacare system in Canada.  Bill C-64, or Canada’s Pharmacare Act, came into law October 2024 and acknowledges that access to prescription medication is crucial to universal quality healthcare.  With rising costs however, many Canadians are finding it difficult to cover the costs of prescription drugs and related products for health issues such as diabetes.  This issue is especially relevant to senior care, Indigenous populations and newcomers.  The aim of the Act is to develop a national bank of prescription medications purchased in bulk and made available at affordable costs. Ongoing negotiations are taking place between the Government of Canada and provinces and territories, as well as Indigenous peoples and other interested partners, regarding the implementation of The Pharmacare Act across Canada.  Implementation will include discussions on funding the costs of coverage, as well as working within the recommendations of The Advisory Council.

Health Issues for Saskatchewan’s Population 

Diabetes is a major issue within Saskatchewan’s senior, Indigenous and newcomer populations. Our unique population of smaller communities and more rural populations, as well as the high costs of products for diabetes monitoring, means that pharmacare is of particular importance to Saskatchewan.  A Diabetes Canada report found that, in 2024, Saskatchewan had a 13% prevalence rate for diabetes (Type 1, Type 2 undiagnosed and diagnosed). 

According to a 2014/15 compilation of statistical surveys by the Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, 1 in 12, or 7.9%, of Saskatchewan residents 20 years and older had Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) or cardiovascular disease.  The same report found that about 1 in 10 adults 35 years old and older in Saskatchewan, or 9.8%, had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Saskatchewan Opinion Polling on Healthcare and Pharmacare

With the Pharmacare Bill now passed by the federal government, each province will need to sign an agreement and then start implementing the Pharmacare program.  The first phase of the legislation will provide coverage for contraception and diabetes medication and equipment, which would be a huge relief for many people in our province. The Saskatchewan government has said it is willing to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the federal government so residents can get access to coverage as soon as possible.

The Saskatchewan Health Coalition looked at public opinion polling on pharmacare from 2024 commissioned by our colleagues at the Canadian Health Coalition. It shows that of people surveyed in Saskatchewan:

• 50% are concerned about not being able to afford prescription drugs and medical devices;

  
  

• 43% strongly support and 34% somewhat support the Premier working with the federal government to implement Pharmacare in their province;

  
  

• 43% are less likely to vote for their Premier if they reject Pharmacare;

  
  

• 40% strongly support and 39% somewhat support that Canada should implement a national Pharmacare program, providing equal access to prescription drugs for everyone in Canada;

  
  

• 23% hesitated about quitting/changing jobs because of worries about losing prescription drug coverage; and,

  
  

• 22% are not filling/renewing a prescription, or make it last longer (e.g., skip dose, split pills) due to cost.

  
  

This is consistent with previous public opinion polling by Angus Reid (2015 and 2020) and Environics Research (2019, 2023).

How can you be involved?

Saskatchewan is interested in negotiations but so far the Canadian government has not moved forward with negotiations with Saskatchewan, citing the need for review of negotiations already in place with other provinces. An August 14 statement to the Hill Times from Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health reads, “Any proposed national pharmacare program must be designed and implemented in partnership with our current provincial systems. While Saskatchewan has expressed a willingness to resume discussions about this with the federal government, there have been no negotiations scheduled.” You can be involved in getting the federal government to negotiate with the provinces.

As Canadians we must let the federal government know that they must start negotiating with the provinces to implement the Pharmacare Act.  Contact the federal Minister of Health, Hon. Michelle Marjorie, by email at hcminister.ministresc@hc-sc.gc.ca to let the federal government know that universal and publicly funded pharmacare is an important part of quality healthcare in Canada.

Links

The following are links to research cited in this post:

- The Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare final report can be accessed at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/about-health-canada/public-engagement/external-advisory-bodies/implementation-national-pharmacare/final-report.html

- Canadian Health Coalition: https://www.healthcoalition.ca/tag/pharmacare/ 

- Saskatchewan Health Coalition: https://www.saskatchewanhealthcoalition.ca/ 

- Canada’s Drug Agency: https://www.cda-amc.ca/

- Arthritis Research Study: https://www.arthritisresearch.ca/impact-of-cost-on-how-canadians-take-medications/

- Leger Poll: https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/media-releases/2024/national-pharmacare

- Canadian Federation of Nurses Union: https://nursesunions.ca/body-count-canadians-with-curable-illnesses-are-dying-every-day-without-pharmacare-according-to-a-new-study-from-canadas-nurses/

- Canadian Diabetes Association report (April 2025): https://www.diabetes.ca/advocacy-policies/advocacy-reports/national-and-provincial-backgrounders/diabetes-in-saskatchewan

- Saskatchewan Ministry of Health report on chronic diseases in Saskatchewan (2014/15): https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/ministries/health/other-reports/health-status-reports