Sunday, February 22, 2009

Family celebrates victory as new drugs approved on P.E.I.

From CBC News:
Eighteen new drugs, many of them for fighting cancer, will be added to P.E.I.'s drug formulary on March 1, the government announced Thursday — a move that will save many families thousands of dollars.

Health Minister Doug Currie estimates this announcement will have an immediate positive impact on 1,200 Islanders.

"When you hear stories about families tapping into their lifetime savings, when you're talking to families who are taking second mortgages on their house, you know as a minister that you have to act," said Currie.

About 33 per cent of Islanders live without private health insurance. It's those people who are most likely to be helped by this announcement. While drugs not on the approved list might be prescribed, there is no chance of the cost being covered by the government.

Once a drug is on the list, it is possible for some people without insurance to have costs covered. ...more

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