Atlantic provinces await details on national pharmacare plan

The premiers of three of Canada's Atlantic provinces are anxiously awaiting more details on a national pharmacare strategy so they can evaluate the impacts of the federal government's proposal on their jurisdictions.

Justin Trudeau's Liberal government announced a pharmacare plan as part of the 2018 budget released in February.

Eric Hoskins, Ontario's former Liberal health minister, was appointed to chair the council that will consult with stakeholders and make recommendations to the government on how to proceed with a national strategy. He also addressed the premiers this week in New Brunswick at their annual gathering.

However, details of what the coverage would look like and how it would trickle down at the provincial level have been scarce.

Despite that, the premiers of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador say opening up a national dialogue on the matter is a good step.

"We know any time we can reduce the healthcare cost to the provinces, it means there's more money we can invest in other healthcare services," Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball told The House.

Last fall, an analysis by parliamentary budget officer Jean-Denis Frechette estimated national pharmacare would carry a hefty cost of around $20 billion a year, with another study estimating such a plan would save Canadians more than $4 billion every year on prescriptions.

Former federal budget watchdog Kevin Page was also in New Brunswick with a blunt message for the premiers: If Canadians want a pharmacare plan, taxes will have to go up.

The cost is just one issue to be examined, but Nova Scotia's Stephen McNeil said some of the important elements needed to move forward are there.

"There's a lot of work to do," he said. "[But] I believe there's momentum building with Canadians."

While the details are sorted out, P.E.I's Wade MacLauchlan said there are three important measuring sticks for the success of a federal plan for national pharmacare.

"Robust, reliable and sustainable."