On December 9th CARP called for the Alberta Health Minister Ron Liepert to reconsider the increases to drug costs for low income seniors in Alberta and to apologize for his remarks that seniors have an entitlement mentality. The Alberta Pharmaceutical Strategy he announced on December 8, 2008 provided that single seniors with an annual income of less than $21,325 and senior families with an annual combined income of less than $42,650 — would not pay for drug coverage and that other seniors will pay a deductible based on their income. Seniors with incomes even slightly more than the lowest income cut off could pay substantially more than they do at present. Click here to view full press release

Thanks to collaboration between the central CARP office and the CARP Chapters, the Minister of Health has recently decided he would review the strategy. CARP Chapter representatives attended the legislative proceedings. Click here to view a copy of the article