Sask. health covers 56 prescriptions of abortion pill, no plans to introduce universal coverage

Six out of 10 Canadian provinces offer universal coverage for the abortion pill Mifegymiso, butSaskatchewan's Ministry of Health confirms it's not looking at joining them.

In an email to CBC News, a ministry spokesperson said Mifegymisoor RU-486 is covered the same way as other prescription medications in the province.

"Someone who's located in Alberta now has better access to abortion. Someone in Saskatchewan still has very patchy access to abortion," explainedFrederique Chabot,director of Health promotion for Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.

Mifegymiso, or more commonly calledthe abortion pill, is a two-drug combination that inducesa medical termination of a pregnancy.

After some review, the provincial government added the drug to its formularylast fall, making it eligiblefor cost coverage effective Sept. 5, 2017

On its own, the ministryestimates the drug costsaround $360.

How much of aprescriptionis covered bythe province's drug plan differs from patientto patient,dependingon factors like a patient'sincome, with registered low income earners being eligible to pay $2 for a prescription.

56 out of 178 prescriptions covered

From last September to the end of March 2018, the ministry said178 prescriptions of Mifegymisohave been dispensedthrough pharmacies, 56 of which were covered either fully or partially under the provincial program.

"Any unpaid portion of a prescription claim may be paid for by a third-party insurance provider (such as a benefit program at work or post-secondary school)," a spokesperson wrote in an email to CBC.

Saskatoon Sexual Health executive directorHeather Hale said the cost can be prohibitive.

'I wish it was accessible to everyone'

Hale said between fiveand15 people a week use the clinic to find out information about abortion services, and staff talk to patients about Mifegymiso.

"We let folks know that it's around $400 and then we try to work with them to see if there's a way to get it covered."

"I wish it was accessible to everyone. So if you don't have private insurance or you're not covered by another plan it can be a barrier," Hale said, adding people should have options.

Free with health card

Currently, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia cover the drug through health plans.

"You get your prescription, you go to the pharmacy and you simply have to show your health card to get your prescription for free,"Chabot said.

She, along with other advocates and doctors, believes Mifegymisocan close the gap in access to abortion services in rural and remote parts of Canada by allowing patients to access it through a family physician instead of having to travel to urban centres.

More than 1,200 abortions

The ministry said thatsince Sept. 5, 2017 to the end of March, it's recorded around 1,270 abortions, including both surgical and medical procedures.

The vast majority of abortions are done surgically, Chabotexplained.

She believes the proportion of abortions done surgically compared to medicallywould change "quite rapidly" over time if Mifegymiso was covered universally.

"People want access to medical abortion. They want that choice."

New Brunswick recorded fewer surgical abortions since it began offering Mifegymisofree of charge in July 2017.