Sask. physicians' ability to bill for abortion pill will increase access: doctors
CBC
Two years ago Saskatchewan became the last province in Canada to provide universal coverage for a so-called abortion pill — and now doctors who offer it are finally being paid for the appointments..
Mifegymiso, a two-drug combination, can be taken up to nine weeks after pregnancy, according to the government of Canada. It was added to the Saskatchewan Drug Plan in 2017, but wasn't universally covered by the plan until June 2019 after students and the provincial NDP caucus called on the province to cover the costs.
But it wasn't until early October that doctors could bill for the drug. Up until Oct. 1, only doctors who performed surgical abortions were directly compensated. Those who prescribed the abortion pill had to bill it as a counselling or consultation and didn't receive compensation.
It deterred some doctors in the province from taking the time to prescribe the pill.
"Now that it can be billed properly, and physicians can be compensated for the amount of time that it takes, we're hoping it will increase the number of physicians … willing to offer that service to patients who need it," said Dr. Carla Holinaty, a family doctor based in Saskatoon.
Holinaty hopes that the new coverage will help women who would have had trouble obtaining the pill, especially for those living in rural or remote areas.
She said prior to the change, it was nearly "impossible" for some women to obtain the pill. Some patients have to travel long distances to an urban centre to get a prescription, often taking a day or two off work and incurring travel, child care and accommodation expenses.
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