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Ontario’s attempts to speed up new cancer drugs shows the need for Critical Illness Insurance



The Government of Ontario recently announced that they are making significant changes to the

 availability of high-cost cancer medications.  Under its “Funding Accelerated for Specific 

Treatments” (FAST) program, selected cancer drugs will get more public funding a year faster than is 

already the case.


A three-year pilot initiative, the FAST program aims to fast-track seven to ten high-priority cancer

treatments each year. Currently, the following drugs are being funded through this program: Tagrisso

([osimertinib] for lung cancer), Scemblix (for a leukemia variant), Nubeqa (for prostate cancer),

Calquence ([acalabrutinib tablets] for lymphoma), Opdivo with Yervoy (for colorectal cancer and for

liver cancer). 


To this we say, hurray. 


However, in our view, this change highlights a few of the problems that cancer patients have to

overcome when they receive a cancer diagnosis in Canada.


The first problem is access. In Canada, provinces have a hard task: bringing the best drugs to the most

people. Some of those drugs are new and expensive. As Dr. Keith Steward from the Princess Margaret

Cancer Centre notes, some treatments can be $10,000 per dose; while certain cellular treatments may

soar up to $500,000. These costs are prohibitive and it means that provinces don’t always make all

drugs available to all patients in the same way.


This brings us to the second problem: the cost to the patient. If your doctor recommends a drug and

the province won’t pay for it, our system asks one question: can the patient pay for it on their own? If

you can’t pay, you’re sent to the back of the line. So while the FAST program helps to provide access

a year earlier than was possible before, it is not a silver bullet solution. Furthermore, if you live in a

province that is less generous than Ontario, you may have to wait for almost two years to get access to

some of the most innovative health care options.


This is probably why a national study, sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society, found that 33% of

people with cancer reported the financial strain from out-of-pocket costs to be high. Or why the

Canadian Cancer Society indicates that the average Canadian will have to pay about $33,000 in costs

after they get a cancer diagnosis. Or even why studies indicate that between 33% and 40% (nearly 4

in 10) Canadians experience financial distress following a cancer diagnosis. 


Increasingly high-priced or innovative drugs are just another cost that some provincial health care

systems won’t cover. These include some medications, home modifications, travel and

accommodation. It might not seem like a health care cost, small or large, all of those extra trips -

either by private or public, to access modes of public transit, taxis, Ubers and/or parking - are real. All

of these costs pile up and that can lead to thousands of extra unforeseen dollars. Dollars most people

do not have. This is why Canadians shouldn’t be surprised that - according to the Canadian

Partnership Against Cancer - that 4 in 10 survivors reported practical challenges after their treatment

ended. 


Given that the direct and indirect costs of cancer treatments are escalating, now more than ever,

considering critical illness insurance may be a prudent decision for individuals seeking to safeguard

themselves against the financial burden of unexpected medical expenses. Investing in such coverage

can provide peace of mind and a financial safety net amid rising healthcare costs. 


For those who are interested in understanding how to navigate these costs or seeking guidance on

securing critical illness insurance, please do not hesitate to reach out for support and information

tailored to your needs.


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