Statement: Pharmacare deal delivers the right coverage for Manitobans, the wrong way

News Release

(Toronto, February 27, 2025) Stephen Frank, President and CEO of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA), today issued this statement on the announcement of a single payer pharmacare agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Manitoba:

“The Pharmacare agreement announced today between the Government of Canada and the Government of Manitoba is disappointing and jeopardizes access to medications that Manitobans rely on through their employer-provided benefits.

Canada’s life and health insurers support access to contraceptives and diabetes medications for all Manitobans. In 2023, we provided health benefit coverage to 910,000 Manitobans and paid out more than $1.2 billion in claims payments.

We continue to believe that the best way to provide sustainable access that meets the needs of all Canadians, including Manitobans, is to provide coverage to those without access to workplace health benefit plans. With today’s economic uncertainty, spending tax dollars to have government take over services that are already being successfully delivered should be an easy page to turn. We need to focus on people who need help by targeting resources on those without access to workplace health benefits.”

About the CLHIA
The CLHIA is a voluntary association whose member companies account for 99 per cent of Canada’s life and health insurance business. These insurers provide a wide range of financial security products including life insurance, annuities (including TFSAs, RRSPs, RRIFs and pensions) and supplementary health insurance to nearly 30 million Canadians. They hold over $1 trillion in assets in Canada and employ almost 180,000 Canadians.