Government seniors' drug proposal called more trick than treat

Public Interest Alberta Executive Director Bill Moore-Kilgannon released a new position paper today by the group’s Seniors Task Force that calls for introduction by the province of a universal public pharmacare program.

Unfortunately, Moore-Kilgannon told a morning news conference at the Alberta Teachers Association’s Edmonton headquarters, the release of the paper on Halloween was entirely appropriate.

After all, he explained, the Redford Government’s proposed new seniors’ drug plan “is more trick than treat!”

Sixteen different seniors’ organizations, health care professionals’ unions and Friends of Medicare have written Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne urging him to consult the public and adopt a universal pharmacare program, Moore-Kilgannon noted.

Instead, last spring the Alberta government announced a new means-tested seniors’ drug plan scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2014, that if implemented would pass on $180 million in drug costs to Alberta seniors.

“The government continues to characterize this as a scheme to help the poor,” said Task Force Chair Noel Somerville. But what the government is really proposing, he said, “is solving its budget problems on the backs of people because they are sick.”

Friends of Medicare Executive Director Sandra Azocar called the proposed plan the same thing as taxing sick people for their poor health.

Horne recently admitted the government will not be able to implement the plan on schedule. Azocar noted that a March 22 letter to Horne from an insurance industry lobbyist found on the Internet asked the government to delay implementation of the plan.

Said Moore-Kilgannon: “We know the government backed down to pressure from seniors’ groups when the same plan was introduced by former health minister Ron Liepert. So we will be educating and mobilizing people to speak out.”

PIA, Friends of Medicare and the Parkland Institute have organized 11 public forums in Alberta on seniors’ issues – starting next week in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Calgary, Sundre and Red Deer.

Click here for the full schedule of forums