Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Two days ago was World Cancer Day where it was said one in 10 patients don’t take the medication they need due to cost. Earlier today I mentioned the fact that the GNWT is one of the few jurisdictions left in Canada without a catastrophic drug coverage plan. Under the current Extended Health Benefits Program, the GNWT does cover many diseases and conditions under a plagued, misaligned NIHB formulary while other conditions are sorted through a complicated consortium of case-by-case management policies. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In 2010 the Department of Health and Social Services undertook a review of a supplementary health benefits program. This joint working group recommended an income-tested catastrophic drug coverage plan which was never implemented. Can the Minister indicate why not?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister of Health, Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a man with a passion for pharmaceuticals, I am happy the Member has raised this question here today. The department is not at this time pursuing a catastrophic drug program here in the Northwest Territories. Rather, we’re working on the development of a pharmaceutical strategy which is building on the work that has been done over the past few years, including the report the Member mentioned that was done by Alberta Blue Cross – Pharmaceutical Strategy Options for the Government of the Northwest Territories – as well as ongoing work that is being done by the Program Review Office in the Department of Finance.
The pharmaceutical strategy is going to adhere to a number of principles moving forward and those principles are access, safety, effectiveness and appropriateness for use, as well as system sustainability.
Among other things, part of this pharmaceutical strategy is actually going to include a program to cover catastrophic coverage or provide catastrophic drug coverage, a program to cover expensive drugs for rare diseases, exactly what the Member is talking about, as well as moving to an NWT-specific formulary. So we’re not moving forward with a specific catastrophic drug program. We’re moving forward with a pharmaceutical strategy that will include the types of things the Member is talking about today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do appreciate the Minister reminding us about this pharmaceutical strategy that had not ever come to light here in the Assembly. It is not the panacea for all the solutions to the questions today.
So with that, in 2010 the honourable Minister Abernethy, in his former capacity as a Regular Member, recommended that the GNWT create a benefits plan for low-income families that do not have prescription drug coverage. The Minister responsible has been acting in this capacity for the past 585 days.
Can he inform the House if he has made good on his very own recommendation? Thank you.
Recognizing that we do have an Extended Health Program, we are moving forward with the pharmaceutical strategy, which is going to actually cover the exact types of issues that the Member is talking about. We will continue to move forward and work with other provinces and territories who are trying to put forward programs to address the high cost of pharmaceuticals as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I’m trying to create a pattern of a department dragging its heels. In February 2013 the deputy minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Debbie DeLancey, stated in this Legislative Assembly, “We need to look at our catastrophic drug coverage, expense of drugs and possible review of our formulary.”
Can the Minister indicate why his department had not followed through with this promise two years ago? Thank you.
It’s not a matter of dragging our heels; we are in fact working on this particular issue. However, lack of in-house pharmaceutical expertise does make the project of this nature quite challenging.
The department has actually hired an expert consultant on pharmaceuticals to assist in the guiding of the understanding of this complex issue. As a pharmacist, I know the Member does understand how complex this can be. We have made recent amendments to the Pharmacy Act to enable a prescription drug monitoring program to be implemented here in the Northwest Territories. The Program Review Office is completing a review of pharmaceutical management, purchasing, coverage and regulation. The final report is expected this winter. We’re also doing a review of the current use of group purchasing organizations by authorities to identify cost-saving opportunities by improving formulary management, drug purchasing as well as looking at moving away from the NIHB formulary to an NWT formulary. We certainly look forward to input from committee as we move forward.
So, it is moving slowly but it is in fact moving forward and we will get this done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Things are moving slowly. Issues and concerns surrounding the efficiency of our current Extended Health Benefits Program are well-enshrined in this House.
As I indicated earlier, the Minister has been acting in office for 585 days, has had ample time to review this file and has made unfulfilled promises to committee and to its residents.
Can the Minister indicate how many more days he needs to implement a proper catastrophic drug plan for all Northerners? Thank you.
If committee would like, I’d be happy to come and have a briefing with committee to show them where we are to date and help us get some advice and guidance as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
