Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas called out the Premier in the legislature this week for failing Ontarians living with diabetes by excluding them from provincial drug coverage. A release states the NDP has proposed the first universal Pharmacare plan, which will provide drug coverage for all Ontarians, regardless of age or income. Gélinas participated in an Ontario round table organised by Diabetes Canada on Tuesday, where she learned their number one issue was access to medications and supplies. Gélinas says diabetes is an expensive disease to manage, and high out-of-pocket costs compromise people’s ability to access the medications they need.
A 60-year-old woman named Charlene told Gélinas at the meeting just how much diabetes medication is costing her. Gélinas says Charlene buys her insulin in vials and mixes it herself before she injects with a needle in order to save money. She says Charlene told her that the essential medicines, including insulin, that she needs are costing her $1,000 a month. Gélinas says with no public drug coverage, that money comes straight out of her own pocket.
She says like millions of people across Ontario, 1.5 million diabetic patients need universal Pharmacare that covers everyone, no matter how old they are. Gélinas added Ontarians should never be forced to skip their medications. She says they should never have to go into credit card debt just to fill their prescriptions, and people like Charlene shouldn’t have to worry about whether she can afford the essential medication she needs to manage her diabetes. Gélinas finished by asking why the Wynne Government won’t do what’s right for everyone and implement Universal Pharmacare.
In response, Minister of Health Eric Hoskins attacked Gélinas, and NDP leader Andrea Horwath, saying before a couple of weeks ago they’d never mentioned the term Pharmacare in the legislature except when quoting an op-ed article he wrote.