N.S. wants to go 'back to the table' on federal pharmacare deal

An official with Nova Scotia's Health Department says the province wants to get back into negotiations with the federal government on a pharmacare agreement. 

Stacy Burgess, executive director of clinical care and delivery, made the comments at a meeting of the standing committee on health at Province House on Tuesday. 

"Health Canada is aware that we want to come back to the table for further discussions, so we're waiting for that invite," she told reporters following the meeting.

She said she couldn't provide any details about past negotiations as she isn't directly involved in the work.

The Trudeau Liberal government passed legislation last year for a universal pharmacare program. However, since health care falls under provincial and territorial jurisdiction, each province and territory must sign an agreement with Ottawa to tap into the program.

British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon have signed agreements for the first phase of national pharmacare, which includes coverage for diabetes medication and some prescription contraceptives. 

Pharmacist Kari Ellen Graham said signing a deal is a "no-brainer."

Graham is the founder of Access Now Nova Scotia, a group that advocates for free birth control, and was a witness at the health committee meeting.

"Unfortunately Nova Scotia is lagging behind a little bit right now, but I was very encouraged with the conversations that we had in the legislature," she told reporters.

'Completely aligned,' government MLA tells advocates

Graham pointed to comments from some government MLAs who expressed support for universal contraceptive coverage.

"I sit here as a Nova Scotian, as a woman, completely aligned with the case you've made," Progressive Conservative MLA Susan Corkum-Greek told the panel of witnesses.

She said the government is "very interested" in reaching a pharmacare deal and doesn't want to leave money on the table.

But Corkum-Greek also expressed some hesitancy. She hearkened back to the federal-provincial funding arrangement on child care, which the previous provincial Liberal government signed. Corkum-Greek said the deal was "short-sighted" in leaving out private child-care providers. 

The Progressive Conservative government has since tried unsuccessfully to reopen the child-care deal with Ottawa.

"It does highlight that the devil truly is in the details," said Corkum-Greek.

Corkum-Greek would not agree to an interview after the committee meeting.

Holding out for 'best deal'

Burgess said the department will be looking to get "the best deal," which she described as one that is financially responsible, doesn't interfere with any existing programs and ensures long-term funding.

The other pharmacare deals are for five years.

Graham said she's also hoping for a good deal, but she doesn't think that means Nova Scotia should wait any longer.

"We've put decades of research into this and, really, it's a no-brainer.… We need to step up, we need to move forward."

She said she hopes Nova Scotia will push for more contraceptive coverage than the other provinces and the Yukon got. The four pharmacare deals that have already been struck all include the same suite of contraceptives — mostly hormonal pills and intrauterine devices, or IUDs. 

Graham said at least a half-dozen options are left out of those deals.

"We'll be looking for all contraceptives to be on the list," she said.

Existing provincial pharmacare

Nova Scotia has its own pharmacare program that's available to people who don't have third-party pharmaceutical coverage or for cases when "the cost of the prescription drugs becomes a financial burden". But several advocates at Tuesday's meeting, including Dr. Leisha Hawker, described it as a patchwork program with significant barriers.

Hawker, a physician who works at the North End Community Health Centre in Halifax, said many of her patients who qualify for provincial coverage face co-pays and deductibles that are "outrageously high." She said she has patients who are insecurely housed or homeless who temporarily lose their coverage each year because they don't receive the renewal documents.