I'm not sure if it is an approved expense for those who are only on their provincial health care plan, but last I heard it wasn't yet. It is an approved drug option here, but isn't "free" to the best of my knowledge. Our drugs are often a lot cheaper up here though . . . even if we have to pay out of pocket.

Most people in Canada who were working when they went on disability, or who continue to work, have very inexpensive extended health care coverage. The monthly premiums for that benefit, which is quite often paid by our employers (or ex-employers), amount to about $20 a month, with very few co-pays on anything we might need medically.

From what I understand, the TOUCH program is only mandatory in the USA, and I'm guessing the Canadian government will be waiting their "standard 2 yrs" before they decide whether to get in the game with taking responsibility for this drug. I was surprised when it was approved so quickly after the US . . . but am not surprised that the Canadian government is stalling on "endorsing" it's use by paying for it.

(They also don't like getting sued or blamed for allowing people to get sicker . . . if that's what had ended up happening with the reintroduction . . . so they might be biding their time in this regard too).

BTW, I was wondering . . . don't most people down there have a max-lifetime cost for medications/expenses with their private carriers? If this drug is as high as $100,000 a year, it won't take long to use up their lifetime allowance on this one treatment . . .? (We have lifetime max's on our insurance . . . that's what made me think of it).

Cherie