Manitoba Liberals promise to opt into national pharmacare program

The Manitoba Liberals are promising to opt into a national pharmacare system in Canada if elected next Tuesday.

The Liberals say they would partner with any government that introduces such a program.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said his promise would be paid for by a federal government funding transfer, which he claimed would add no new cost to Manitoba's health care system.

He said one in 10 Manitobans can't afford to pay for their medications."Often it means they just end up not taking them and they end up in hospital instead."

Lamont said he's concerned Brian Pallister won't opt into a national pharmacare system if re-elected as premier. He pointed to several examples wherePallister delayed signing onto a federal initiative including cannabis,and environmental and housing agreements.

"There's a pattern of obstruction on the part of this government."

"The premier's made it absolutely clear he has no interest in having a national health care system at all. That's what his grand bargain is about."

Tories want meeting with feds

The Progressive Conservatives said they have asked for a meeting with the Trudeau government to discuss the proposed pharmacare program but to no avail.

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"Regrettably, the federal Liberals have chosen to play politics by refusing to meet with Manitoba and other provinces on this important health matter," said Kevin Engstrom, a campaign spokesperson.

He said the Tories want to make sure benefits under Manitoba's current universal pharmacare program, which has a deductible based on family income, won't be changed under a national program.

Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor's office said Manitoba only asked for a meeting through a letter Saskatchewanwrote that the Manitoba governmentsigned in June.

The minister's press secretaryAlexander Cohen said the Liberals "look forward" to finalizing a date after the election.

Drugs would cost $2 - $5

Earlier this year, an advisory council appointed by the Trudeau government recommended establishing a universal pharmacare system.

The council recommended that an initial list of essential drugs be covered by 2022 for those who need them and that the list be expanded from there.

It proposed a $2 payment for common drugs and $5 for prescriptions that are less common. The fee would be waived for people who live on social assistance or have low incomes.

The Manitoba Liberals say the province would save more than $120 million per year from bulk purchases of medication under a national pharmacare program.

The party's announcement comes a day after the NDP pledged to restore a special-drugs program that used to cover the pharmacare deductible for people with chronic and serious illnesses in Manitoba. It ended last April while the Tories were in power.

The NewDemocratssaid they would push for a national pharmacare program and vowed tofreeze the pharmacare deductible for Manitobans while expanding the use ofbiosimilars.

"We're glad to see the Liberals recognize the value of our longstanding commitment to push for a national pharmacare programa promise we recommitted to yesterday. Only the NDP has the chance to form a government which can work with the federal government to get Manitobans affordable access to the drugs they need," NDP spokesperson Emily Couttssaid in an email.