Towards free access to prescription contraceptive methods, promises Ottawa
Access to prescription contraceptive methods will be free of charge in the future national pharmacare program. Although the reimbursement is not for tomorrow and will be preceded by close negotiations, particularly with Quebec for questions of jurisdiction, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists welcomes this progress, which it describes as "historic".
Health Minister Mark Holland made the announcement Thursday morning and unveiled a list of products Ottawa intends to reimburse.
Brands of oral contraceptive pills are included, as well as IUDs, Depo-Provera (a contraceptive administered by injection), a hormonal vaginal ring and a hormonal implant.
"Canadian contraceptive providers have identified cost as the most significant barrier to accessing these medications," Holland's office said in a statement. Oral contraceptives cost about $25 per [month], or $300 per year. Intrauterine devices (IUDs), which are effective for five years, cost up to $500 per unit. »
Hence the Trudeau government's desire to reimburse women for these products.
"A healthier and more equitable future"A woman planning to have two children will spend an average of five years trying to conceive, get pregnant and then breastfeed, and spend 30 years of her life, on average, incurring the costs associated with trying to avoid pregnancy, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada calculates.
"This policy will help ensure that women have the tools they need to better control their futures, including contraception, occupational choices and their place in the workforce," said Dr. Amanda Black, President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. By ensuring coverage of all contraceptives, we are taking a significant step towards a healthier and more equitable future for all Canadian women. »
Dr. Diane Francœur, who is an obstetrician in Quebec, is aware that despite this announcement, which she applauds, reimbursements are still far from being sent to women.
But she calls on women to tell politicians loud and clear "that now that it's promised, they have to do their homework!"
She hopes that negotiations between Quebec (which already has a pharmacare plan) and Ottawa won't get in the way of quick reimbursement, especially since women in British Columbia are already benefiting from it and it's on the right track in Manitoba as well, she notes.
Health Minister Mark Holland made the announcement Thursday morning and unveiled a list of products Ottawa intends to reimburse.
Brands of oral contraceptive pills are included, as well as IUDs, Depo-Provera (a contraceptive administered by injection), a hormonal vaginal ring and a hormonal implant.
"Canadian contraceptive providers have identified cost as the most significant barrier to accessing these medications," Holland's office said in a statement. Oral contraceptives cost about $25 per [month], or $300 per year. Intrauterine devices (IUDs), which are effective for five years, cost up to $500 per unit. »
Hence the Trudeau government's desire to reimburse women for these products.
"A healthier and more equitable future"A woman planning to have two children will spend an average of five years trying to conceive, get pregnant and then breastfeed, and spend 30 years of her life, on average, incurring the costs associated with trying to avoid pregnancy, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada calculates.
"This policy will help ensure that women have the tools they need to better control their futures, including contraception, occupational choices and their place in the workforce," said Dr. Amanda Black, President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. By ensuring coverage of all contraceptives, we are taking a significant step towards a healthier and more equitable future for all Canadian women. »
Dr. Diane Francœur, who is an obstetrician in Quebec, is aware that despite this announcement, which she applauds, reimbursements are still far from being sent to women.
But she calls on women to tell politicians loud and clear "that now that it's promised, they have to do their homework!"
She hopes that negotiations between Quebec (which already has a pharmacare plan) and Ottawa won't get in the way of quick reimbursement, especially since women in British Columbia are already benefiting from it and it's on the right track in Manitoba as well, she notes.
Towards free access to prescription contraceptive methods, promises Ottawa | The Press (lapresse.ca)
