Drug Coverage

• Alberta funds injectable treatment Sublocade as opioid-related EMS calls spike

  Over seven days, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, emergency medical services responded to 140 opioid-related calls in Edmonton and 85 in Calgary.

  Health

  Dec 8, 2021
  
• Advocates warn move to biosimilar drugs under new N.B. plan could affect patients

  Impacting about 3,000 patients, the New Brunswick Drug plan will cover biosimilar drugs and no longer cover the more-expensive biologics as of Nov. 30.

  Health

  Nov 11, 2021
  
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• Insurance denies Halifax man a life-changing drug for his cystic fibrosis

  Stefan Strecko can't afford the medication -- at a cost of about $25,000 a month -- without insurance.

  Health

  Aug 30, 2021
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• UBC student marks graduation 4 years after potentially fatal diagnosis

  Shantee Anaquod was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease in 2017 and became the face of a fight to get provincial coverage for the expensive drug that turned her life around.

  Health

  Jun 2, 2021
• 2 Alberta toddlers receive life-saving drug thanks to angel donor and pharmaceutical lottery

  Two Alberta families are celebrating early Christmas miracles this week. Kaysen Martin and Harper Hanki both received IV gene-therapy treatments.

  Canada

  Dec 3, 2020
• Alberta NDP urges UCP to rethink changes to Seniors Drug Benefit Program

  Alberta's Opposition NDP says changes to drug plan benefits affecting 60,000 people are not only heartless but could lead to higher health spending in the long run.

  Health

  Feb 5, 2020
• Opposition NDP urges Alberta government not to switch drugs for some patients

  The health minister announced a month ago that 26,000 patients already getting provincially funded biologic drugs would gradually be switched to biosimilar ones.

  Canada

  Jan 15, 2020
• Alberta government changing drug coverage for 26,000 patients, expects to save up to $380M

  The Alberta government is changing its drug coverage for more than 26,000 patients, including those with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease.

  Health

  Dec 12, 2019
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• NDP says UCP changes to seniors drug benefit program could see thousands of Albertans lose coverage

  Alberta's Official Opposition is calling on the Jason Kenney government to reverse a decision that it says could see 46,000 people in the province lose coverage they receive through the Seniors Drug Benefit Program.

  Health

  Dec 11, 2019
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• Ford government expands coverage for ‘miracle drug’ Spinraza, but with age cap

  In a statement, Health Minister Christine Elliott said coverage is being expanded from the existing Type 1 SMA patients to include Type 2 and 3 for children and adolescents. 

  Health

  Jun 12, 2019