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Accessing Necessary Arthritis Medications: A Pan-Canadian Analysis The Conference Board of Canada, 45 pages, February 5, 2020 Impact Paper by Junyi Feng , Nigel Russell , Monika Slovinec D’Angelo

Accessing Necessary Arthritis Medications: A Pan-Canadian Analysis

The Conference Board of Canada, 45 pages, February 5, 2020
Impact Paper by Junyi Feng , Nigel Russell , Monika Slovinec D’Angelo

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While arthritis affects nearly one in five Canadian adults, their access to vital medications varies widely across the country. This impact paper highlights discrepancies in arthritis drug coverage across provinces, jurisdictions, and insurance plans. Document Highlights Canadians spent $1.9 billion on 16.5 million claims for arthritis drugs in 2017. Some medically necessary drugs are virtually unaffordable for those without private insurance, due to high out-of-pocket costs. Public access to new and innovative arthritis medications is limited. While private programs have access to all 79 medications used to treat arthritis, public programs provide access to 72. Canadians spent $1.9 billion on 16.5 million claims for arthritis drugs in 2017. Some type of health system reform is needed to improve the access, affordability, and consistency in coverage of arthritis drugs across the country. Table of Contents Section 1-Arthritis in Canada Treatment options are often tailored to the individual The range of public and private drug insurance in Canada Drug availability Section 2—Results and analysis Variances in drug costs Access depends on where you live Variances in access to arthritis drugs Public coverage lags behind private insurance programs Section 3—Conclusions, discussion, and policy implications Appendix A—Methodology Appendix B—Multiple indication rates Appendix C—Active ingredients in arthritis medications Appendix D—Arthritis active ingredients unique to private payers, 2017 Appendix E—Public plans by province Appendix F—Bibliography

While arthritis affects nearly one in five Canadian adults, their access to vital medications varies widely across the country. This impact paper highlights discrepancies in arthritis drug coverage across provinces, jurisdictions, and insurance plans.

Document Highlights

Canadians spent $1.9 billion on 16.5 million claims for arthritis drugs in 2017.

Some medically necessary drugs are virtually unaffordable for those without private insurance, due to high out-of-pocket costs.

Public access to new and innovative arthritis medications is limited. While private programs have access to all 79 medications used to treat arthritis, public programs provide access to 72.

Canadians spent $1.9 billion on 16.5 million claims for arthritis drugs in 2017.

Some type of health system reform is needed to improve the access, affordability, and consistency in coverage of arthritis drugs across the country.

Section 1-Arthritis in Canada