Cheaper drugs mean health plan savings: Health Minister Toronto Star
Ontario workers in private health insurance plans can expect lower premiums or improved coverage because of the province’s controversial plan to slash generic drug prices, says Health Minister Deb Matthews.
Employers and insurance companies should not be pocketing the savings, she said Monday as pharmacists opposed to the reforms launched a two-week newspaper and radio advertising campaign warning that drug store services will suffer.
“All employees should be well aware that their premiums should come down….or the range of services expanded,” Matthews said, noting that prescription drugs typically account for 85 per cent of health plan costs.
But she acknowledged that the government has no way to ensure that savings from reforms that will cut the price of generic drugs in half are passed on to workers.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said the lack of assurances on savings for workers shows the government has been in a “rush” to get the drug reforms through without thinking of the consequences.
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