New Brunswick is one of only two provinces in Canada without catastrophic drug coverage for everyone.

The Issue

Today in New Brunswick many people with serious illnesses are facing high drug costs that they cannot afford. According to Health Canada, the purpose of catastrophic drug coverage is to protect patients and their families from undue financial hardship when they need access to required medications. This is a critical issue for the people of New Brunswick, as our Province has yet to implement a program for catastrophic drug coverage that covers all our residents. Currently there is only partial coverage for low income seniors and people on social assistance. This leaves the majority of residents to rely on private health insurance to cover the costs associated with their treatments for chronic illnesses. More than one-third of New Brunswickers do not have private health insurance and are left to fend for themselves.

As treatments and drug therapies improve, serious illnesses are increasingly being managed outside the hospital setting. As a result, New Brunswick residents are shouldering a growing proportion of the costs associated with their treatment. At the same time, New Brunswick has the lowest percentage of public drug coverage in Canada, with the Province contributing only 33% of the cost of drugs for the limited group covered (Canadian Institute for Health Information).

In the 2010 Provincial Election Campaign in New Brunswick, the Conservative Party promised to improve the current level of provincial catastrophic drug coverage in New Brunswick stating they would “ensure that our made-in-New Brunswick plan helps New Brunswickers afford the drugs they need by fairly subsidizing cost based on their individual ability to pay.” (Putting New Brunswick First…For a Change – Official PC Party 2010 Provincial Election Platform)

We are urging the government to act quickly on that promise and make it a top priority to develop a catastrophic drug coverage program for all New Brunswickers in the shortest possible time.

Action

A coalition of New Brunswick’s major health organizations has been working to bring this critical issue to the attention of the provincial government. The coalition believes all New Brunswickers deserve equal access to the most appropriate, highest-quality medications and health services, regardless of where they live in the province and whether they are receiving treatment in hospital or at home. To that end, we are strongly urging the provincial government to immediately take steps to implement a catastrophic drug coverage program that is accessible for all New Brunswick residents, regardless of their income. The establishment of a catastrophic drug program in this province will be a significant investment in the future health of New Brunswickers.

Quick facts on catastrophic drug coverage

The word ‘catastrophic’ refers to the devastating financial impact high drug costs can have on families or individuals who cannot afford to pay
Out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs should not exceed 3-5% of net household income, i.e. a person or family with an income of $20,000 would pay no more than $1,000 yearly for prescription drugs
At any point in time, up to 11% of New Brunswick households are at risk of facing catastrophic drug costs
New Brunswick is one of only 2 provinces in Canada without a comprehensive catastrophic drug program (PEI is the other)
The New Brunswick government contributes the lowest level of public funding of drug costs in Canada, paying only 33% of covered drug costs
Prescription drugs administered outside the hospital setting are not covered by the Government of New Brunswick and must be paid for by the individual
As many as 33% of New Brunswickers have no private health care plan
Those who have a private health care plan may find their plan does not pay for new or expensive drugs and treatments
Both Newfoundland & Labrador and Nova Scotia have catastrophic drug programs that can be accessed by any resident not enrolled in another provincial plan

Source: Canadian Cancer Society, New Brunswick