Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By all accounts, it’s estimated that 10 to 25 percent of our Canadian population is uninsured or underinsured for prescription drugs. When unforeseen illnesses, disability and medical complication strike, this portion of the population is vulnerable to financial hardship. In essence, those unable to afford these drug costs are placed in serious situations of life or death.

To put in perspective where drug costs are going, just last week I saw a bill for a new Hep C drug, called Harvoni, for the 12-week therapy of $92,000. Shocking, I know.

Efforts both nationally and...

At this point I’d like to thank our witnesses here for joining us today. Could I get the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort our witnesses out of the Chamber. Thank you. Committee, I will now rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. In keeping with our convention protocol today, we’ll go to Minister Miltenberger to see if he can reply to Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Nadli and Mr. Moses. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Continuing on with general comments, I have Mr. Nadli.

Okay. We will commence after a short break. Thanks.

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Good afternoon, committee. I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Ms. Bisaro.

I’m trying to create a pattern of a department dragging its heels. In February 2013 the deputy minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Debbie DeLancey, stated in this Legislative Assembly, “We need to look at our catastrophic drug coverage, expense of drugs and possible review of our formulary.”

Can the Minister indicate why his department had not followed through with this promise two years ago? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Two days ago was World Cancer Day where it was said one in 10 patients don’t take the medication they need due to cost. Earlier today I mentioned the fact that the GNWT is one of the few jurisdictions left in Canada without a catastrophic drug coverage plan. Under the current Extended Health Benefits Program, the GNWT does cover many diseases and conditions under a plagued, misaligned NIHB formulary while other conditions are sorted through a complicated consortium of case-by-case management policies. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services...

I could dissect our Pharmacare program ad nauseam with my two decades of private practice and advocacy on this topic. So let me just say that in a 2012 review of policy options prepared by the Alberta Blue Cross, it was noted that this NIHB formulary did not align with coverage in many provincial jurisdictions including Alberta and, of course, our own NWT Extended Health Benefits Program. Add all this up, the GNWT continues to still use a flawed, square design to deal with a round hole when it comes to those who cannot afford their medication.

So yes, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions later...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 188-17(5), NWT Main Estimates 2015-2016, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.