CPhA Welcomes Government Decision to Withdraw Refugee Health Coverage Appeal
The federal government announced on December 16 that it is withdrawing its appeal in the case of The Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration v. Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care et al. The appeal was in response to a federal court decision that ruled the government’s cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) unconstitutional.
Since cuts to refugee health coverage under IFHP were first announced in 2012, CPhA has played a leading role in the health care community mobilizing opposition, particularly with regard to the elimination of interim pharmaceutical coverage. While today’s announcement is welcomed, CPhA urges the government to move quickly to restore the full benefits of the Interim Federal Health Program to pre-2012 levels.