81 Percent of Canadians Have Some Prescription Drug Coverage: Statistics Canada

Prescription drugs are seen on shelves at a pharmacy in Montreal, on March 11, 2021. The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz

The majority of Canadians (81 percent) nationwide have some form of prescription drug insurance, typically provided through their employers, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

The data aligns with the findings of recent Privy Council Office (PCO) research, which found indifference among Canadians towards pharmacare programs proposed by the Liberals and New Democrats.

“Among men and women seniors were most likely to have a government sponsored plan while working age adults were most likely to have an employer sponsored plan,” said the StatCan report, which was first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.

Coverage rates across various provinces showed considerable variation, with Prince Edward Island at 71 percent, Manitoba at 74 percent, British Columbia and Saskatchewan each at 76 percent, Ontario at 78.5 percent, Newfoundland and Labrador at 79 percent, Nova Scotia at 81 percent, New Brunswick at 82 percent, Alberta at 83 percent, and Quebec leading with 89 percent.

Groups that were less likely to have drug insurance included self-employed individuals, recent immigrants, and low-income households with fewer chronic health conditions.

“The gap in private insurance coverage was large between employees and self-employed workers,” wrote analysts.

“For both men and women roughly four times more self-employed workers purchased private insurance plans than employees.”

Despite the high overall coverage rate, StatCan cautioned that this does not necessarily indicate adequate coverage. The agency pointed out several data gaps that limit understanding of drug insurance coverage and issues related to cost-related medication non-adherence, referring to Canadians who do not fill prescriptions due to financial constraints.

National pharmacare has been a long-standing promise among parliamentary advocates. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a 2022 supply-and-confidence agreement with New Democrats, vowed to pass a pharmacare bill by December 31, 2023. No such bill has yet been introduced.

According to internal government research, pharmacare does not appear to be a high priority for Canadians.

A PCO report dated July 10, 2023, identified several key Canadian health-care concerns, including the insufficient availability of home care for the elderly, limited options for virtual medical care, and a perceived deficiency in preventive medicine.

The PCO’s latest research, released on Jan. 3, revealed significant public apathy towards pharmacare.

“Asked specifically about the cost of prescription drugs, few felt this to be a significant issue at present,” a pollsters’ report said.

“Describing the current state of prescription drug coverage in Canada, a large number were of the impression these were affordable in most cases.”

A majority of Canadians believe that they are typically covered by employer insurance, said the report. Additionally, many think these costs can be claimed on tax returns. The research also found that support for pharmacare would likely decrease if it resulted in higher taxes or increased the federal deficit.