Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and I’d like to follow up on my statement. The issue of changes to the Extended Health Benefits Program was extremely contentious and it was a couple of years ago that we went through great upheaval and discussion about the changes. The policy was rescinded, but there were some recommended changes and some of those actions were put in place. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can advise the House and the Members and the public where things are at on the rest of the recommendations that were in the Joint Working Group’s report, provide us with an update on what has been implemented since the update that we had last year. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there’s been a lot of discussion and that in dealing with the Supplementary Health Program. One of the key areas that the MLAs asked be looked at was addressing the working poor that didn’t have coverage, any existing supplementary or any sort of health coverage at all. The department has done the work, is now working on trying to fill that gap, and it seems to be a gap there now of the working poor, and the department is bringing information together to try to fill that gap.
Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased to hear the department is doing some work. I guess I’d like to know from the Minister what kind of timeline we’re on to do this work and to get the coverage that’s required for the people who are not currently covered in terms of our health program. Can he tell me when Members will be advised of the work that the department is doing and what kind of a time frame we can expect to see this coverage in place?
This is a fairly large group of individuals. One of the key aspects of the work will be to cost out this type of benefit, and once the benefit is costed out, then this government would have to come back to the House in the business planning process to get the money together. It’s not going to be in this business plan, so I will commit to the Member that we can do the costing for the next business plan.
To the Minister, I guess if the Minister is needing costing, I have umpteen documents in my files which I can provide to him. That work was done when the Joint Working Group met over a year and a half, two years ago. One of the recommendations in the report was to look at a pharmaceuticals plan for the NWT and/or to work with Western Canada provinces and territories to try and develop a plan to reduce the costs of our drugs. It’s well known that drugs are our most expensive cost. Can the Minister tell me whether or not any work is being done to develop a pharmaceuticals plan either within the territory or within Western Canada?
The department is doing a pharmacy strategy. I’m sure all the costs of medicine, pills, pharmaceuticals are within that strategy.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My usual question to the Minister: If we’re developing a strategy, when are we going to see it?
I don’t have the timeline with me here. I will commit to providing that information back to the Member as soon as the department is able to give me the details on when that strategy will be in place.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
