NDP calls for government to alleviate prescription costs

With people only able to purchase a month’s worth of prescription medication at a time due to COVID-19, the NDP is calling for the government to provide relief to seniors and low-income people by ensuring government drug plans will cover the additional cost.

“The pandemic is revealing the challenges too many face when filling needed prescriptions,” said NDP Health critic Vicki Mowat. “People in this province shouldn’t be making decisions about whether they can afford to take their medication because of extra dispensing fees. It’s time the government puts people first and makes sure that those who can least afford additional costs are taken care of.”

To avoid stockpiling of medications, people in Saskatchewan are only able to fill one month of their prescription at a time. This means many are now paying additional fees at their pharmacy, increasing the cost from $25 to $75.

Alberta reduced the co-pay fee in seniors’ and non-group plans to $8 per prescription, from its previous level of $25. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia as well as Newfoundland and Labrador are also offering support to seniors. Manitoba is removing the one-month supply limit on prescription drugs that it set in place in March.

“For low-income people and seniors, this is a huge additional cost, without any additional income. People in Saskatchewan are on incomes that are stretched thin as it is and they can’t afford to have a government continue to let them down,” Mowat said.

Latest posts

JEREMY COCKRILL IS FORCING HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO A STRIKE VOTE — AND HIS OWN COMMUNITY WILL PAY THE PRICE

Pattern Of Failed Bargaining Attempts Mean Workers Leaving For Good And Putting System In Increasing Danger: Roy
NORTH BATTLEFORD – Carla Beck’s team is in Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s own riding today, calling him out for forcing 14,000 desperately needed healthcare workers to vote on a strike as they have gone four years without a contract.

CARLA BECK’S TEAM CALLS FOR ACTION TO SUPPORT SASKATCHEWAN PRODUCERS IN WAKE OF DAMNING REPORT ON PRODUCERS BEING SHORTED AND SQUEEZED

Agriculture Producers Association Of Saskatchewan Says Costs Rising, Farm Share Falling For Saskatchewan Producers
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team, while taking in Ag in Motion in Langham, is calling on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party to take action to improve the bottom line for producers.

THE SASK. PARTY CLAIMS ABOUT IMPROVING SAID PROGRAM DON’T MATCH THE REALITY OF CLIENTS WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET BY

Scott Moe, Sask. Party Focused On Photo Ops & Political Spin While Those In Need Suffer
REGINA – Today, Carla Beck’s team is calling out the Sask. Party for their continual failures to provide sufficient support for SAID clients here in Saskatchewan.

POTENTIAL HEALTHCARE WORKER STRIKE ENTIRELY THE FAULT OF SCOTT MOE, JEREMY COCKRILL

Carla Beck’s Team Demands A Fair Deal For Frontline Workers After Four Years Without A Contract
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is laying the potential of a fall strike involving thousands of healthcare workers squarely at the feet of Scott Moe and his ignorant Health Minister — who seems to cause strikes everywhere he goes — and demanding immediate action to get to the bargaining table and deliver a fair deal.

NDP Caucus Office