Ontario Government cancels plans to make the PSHCP first payer for drug prescriptions
The Ontario Government will not implement a proposal that would have made the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan the second payer for federal pensioners who are members of the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP).
Premier Dalton McGuinty made a public statement to that effect on Friday, December 8, as he was participating in a phone-in interview during “CTV News at Noon” broadcast by CJOH.
In a letter confirming this decision not to proceed (PDF) with the proposal, Premier McGuinty said to Mr. Jackson: “I greatly appreciated your analysis and the thoughtful presentation of your members’ concerns. It was an important part of our considerations.”
In two letters sent to Premier McGuinty and the Ontario Minister of Health (PDF) in November, Mr. Jackson had urged to reconsider this proposal that would have discriminated against federal pensioners.
In the name of the Board of Directors and of all the members of the FSNA, Mr. Jackson congratulates Mr. McGuinty for listening to the concerns of federal pensioners in Ontario and looks forward to a continuing productive dialogue with its government on matters of mutual interest.
He also extends his thanks to all branches and individual members of the Association who have joined him in protesting against the Ontario proposal. Through these joint efforts, FSNA was successful in presenting its arguments and in achieving a reversal of the proposal.
