Abortion pill now free in province when prescribed

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This article was published 16/09/2019 (2371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The abortion pill is now available for free in Manitoba to women who possess a provincial health card and a prescription from a physician or nurse practitioner.

Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for the status of women, said the new universal coverage took effect Sept. 1, and is being made retroactive to June 2, when the Pallister government signalled its intentions to provide Mifegymiso free of charge.

“It took a while for (the) health (department) to get a system in place for coverage,” Squires said in an interview Monday. “This is the first time a drug has been offered universally in the province in this manner.”

Previously, the two-pill treatment had been covered under Pharmacare, although that left some patients who didn’t have private health insurance or who weren’t covered under social assistance facing a bill upwards of $300.

Under the new system, Mifegymiso is fully covered — including the dispensing fee.

Reaction to the initiative was positive, although proponents of women’s reproductive health beseeched the government to mount a public information campaign — particularly for women in remote rural and northern communities.

Nadine Sookermany, executive director of the Women’s Health Clinic in Winnipeg, called the move to universal coverage “great news.”

“It’s a good first step in making abortion more accessible for all in Manitoba,” she said.

However, there remains the need for more health-care providers who are “both willing and trained” to dispense the drug, Sookermany said, especially in remote regions.

“Will it (access) be equitable? How do trans people access abortion? The list goes on,” she said.

St. Johns NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine, opposition critic for the status of women, expressed similar concerns.

She said there are many Manitobans who are unaware Mifegymiso exists as an option.

“How can you have access to something you don’t even know about?” Fontaine said.

In addition to mounting a public information campaign, the government needs to ensure that abortion pill can be prescribed and dispensed in isolated communities, she said.

“Time is of the essence,” she said, since Mifegymiso is only approved by Health Canada for use in the first nine weeks (63 days) of a pregnancy.

The Women’s Health Clinic provides surgical abortion up to 16 weeks, while Health Sciences Centre does so up to 19.6 weeks.

Asked Monday if the government had a plan to inform the public, Squires said “yes,” but did not elaborate. “You’ll help, too, by writing this article,” she told a Free Press reporter.

Squires said the government has not yet publicized its initiative due to the news blackout during the recent provincial election.

However, letters were sent to physicians, pharmacies, health authorities and others in August to inform them of the universal coverage, she said.

“We’re certainly looking for feedback and to monitor how the uptake will roll out in remote parts of the province and what we can do to ensure access. That has always been the goal… to ensure access to health-care services,” the minister said. “There are challenges, obviously.”

Squires could not say how much the new initiative will cost, although she noted there could be savings if the government doesn’t have to transfer as many patients from isolated regions to Winnipeg and Brandon for surgical abortions.

Squires said any patient who paid for Mifegymiso between June 2 and Sept. 1 can apply to be reimbursed.

A Health Department official advised those affected email (pharmacare@gov.mb.ca) or phone 204-786-7141 in Winnipeg or toll-free at 1-800-297-8099.

— with files from Jessica Botelho-Urbanski

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca