Budget 2019 investing in middle class, says minister Patty Hajdu

#PattyHajdu; #Saskatchewan; #CanadianDrugAgency; #nationalformulary; #HealthCanada  #nationalstrategyforhighcostdrugsforrarediseases; #CanadianDrugAgencyTransitionOffice

Ottawa, Mar 26 (Canadian-Media): An announcement was made yesterday by Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour at Preston Park Retirement Residence, Saskatchewan, Canada, that Budget 2019's highlight is to invest in middle class, media reports said.

Our government is investing in the people who build Canada. Today, I sat down with with the hardworking men and women of @IBEW529 in Saskatoon to talk about how #YourBudget2019 will provide workers with the time and money to learn new skills. pic.twitter.com/cyF3UNik3v

— Patty Hajdu (@PattyHajdu) March 25, 2019

Prescription drug spending in Canada has risen from $2.6 billion in 1985 to $33.7 billion in 2018.

Budget 2019's highlight includes helping more Canadians find an affordable home, prepare for well-paid jobs, retire with confidence and get prescription drugs when they need them and ​Government’s intention to work with its partners to move forward on three foundational elements of national pharmacare which include: Creation of the Canadian Drug Agency to assess the cost-effectiveness of new prescription drugs which could help lower the cost of drugs for Canadians by up to $3 billion per year in the long term; development of a national formulary to provide the basis for a consistent approach to formulary listing and patient access across the country; establishment of a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.​

Canadians pay too much for prescription drugs. #YourBudget2019 will:
?Help make prescription drugs more affordable & accessible
?Create a new Canadian Drug Agency
?Help people with rare diseases get the life-saving drugs they need
Learn more: https://t.co/FuDWGo2d2Q

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 25, 2019

Budget 2019 proposes to provide up to $1 billion over two years, starting in 2022–23, with up to $500 million per year ongoing, to help Canadians with rare diseases access the drugs they need and $35 million over four years, starting in 2019–20, to Health Canada to establish a Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office.

​These measures are an important first step in expanding drug coverage and moving forward on implementing national pharmacare. They are based on the consultations and interim report of the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare and its  final report is expected this spring.