10
The Canadian Travellers’ Report Card
Change since last report:
In 2007, at the request of the CSA, then federal health minister Tony Clement took an
important step by writing to his provincial/territorial colleagues and reminding them that they must abide by the
portability criterion of the Canada Health Act.
“Under the portability criterion of the Act (section 11), insured Canadian residents who are temporarily absent
from their home province and outside Canada must continue to be covered for insured health services during
their absence. Where the insured services are provided outside Canada, payment is to be made on the basis
of the amount that would have been paid by the province for similar services rendered in the province, com-
monly referred to as the “home province” rate.”
Tony Clement
Federal Minister of Health, 02/03/07
Recommendations:
Take action to enforce the portability requirement of the Canada Health Act and, where neces-
sary, intervene to support litigation by private citizens to that efect.
ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR USE DURING TRAVEL
B-
(2006: B-)
This category does not appear to be covered by the Canada Health Act. The CSA believes it should be included in order to
protect the health of Canadian travellers.
During the 1997 election campaign, the federal Liberal government “endorse[d] pharmacare as a national long-
term objective.” Eight years later that objective had yet to be realized. The proposal was eventually scaled back to
a national strategy to address “catastrophic” drug expenses, a threshold that would exclude the needs of many
travellers.
The National Pharmaceuticals Strategy was established in 2004 to develop nationwide solutions to some of the
concerns about the safety and afordability of prescription medications in Canada. In September 2008, the prov-
inces and territories indicated their intent to negotiate a number of elements of the National Pharmaceuticals
Strategy with the federal conservative government, particularly funding for catastrophic drug coverage and ex-
pensive drugs for rare diseases. The provinces and territories have proposed a 50/50 cost-sharing arrangement
with the federal government. From the provincial/territorial perspective, the inability to resolve funding issues
with the federal government is the primary factor that is holding up progress.
There is currently a patchwork of rules across the country specifying limits on the supply of prescription medica-
tion that provincial and territorial drug programs will cover. Some provinces will cover a full six-month supply,
matching the amount of continuous out-of-country travel time residents are permitted, while others limit this sup-
ply to as few as 30 days. As the protector of national standards in health care and a partner in providing access to
drugs for many Canadians, the federal government has an important role to play in ensuring Canadians who need
government supported drug benefts continue to have access to the drugs they require when they exercise their
right to travel.
Change since last report:
There has been limited progress on national pharmacare, but not in a way that is mean-
ingful or useful to travellers.
Recommendations:
The government should enact a national pharmacare program, covering all drugs, not just
catastrophic expenses. Through the Canada Health Act, the federal government should set clear national stan-
dards protecting ongoing access to prescription medications for Canadians who choose to travel. In addition, it
should use its role as a funding partner to ensure provinces and territories not only allow Canadians the freedom
to travel, but also ensure that while travelling they have the same access to their prescriptions as they do when
they are at home.
Government of Canada