23 November 2018 - In its 2018 budget, the federal government created an advisory council on the imple­mentation of national pharmacare, led by former Ontario health minister Eric Hoskins. 

The council, which solicited submissions from Canadians between June and September, is expected to release its final report in the spring.

Whatever the report recommends, Canada is closer to a national pharmacare system than it’s been in decades. And as expensive drugs for rare diseases proliferate and ageing workforces are prescribed more medications, it will likely be a relief for employers to shift many of these costs to the government.

A 2015 survey by Aon found 92% of human resources leaders believe prescription drugs are a fundamental element of the Canadian health-care system, and 31% believe pharmacare would improve their employees’ health.

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