ne

TES,

at

24 - Wednesday, November 25, 1987 - North Shore News

NEWS photo Terry Peters

FRESHLY FALLEN snow caps one of the North Shore’s famous landmarks — the Lions. Cool weather and
precipitation are combining to create ideal ski conditions.

Pharmacare ceiling raised

HEALTH MINISTER Peter
Dueck recently announced changes
to the Pharmacare program aimed

at protecting families from

catastrophic drug costs.

A $2,000-maximum limit is be-
ing placed on what an individual
family will pay for drugs under
Plan E of the Pharmacare pro-
gram. He also announced that the
annual deductible for Plan E will
increase to $300 from $275 on Jan.
1, 1988.

The ceiling, which will also come
into effect Jan. 1, 1988, will pro-
tect some 275.B.C., families.

Plan E provides 80 per cent
reimbursement above an anaual

MARC DALCY

9200°°

PRE CHRISTMAS SALE

SALE ENDS DECEMBER 5

°§ OF WEST VAN

MON-SAT. 9:30-5:30 pm
SUN. 12:00-5:00 pm

2463 MARINE DRIVE, WEST VAN’

family deductible of $300 and,
therefore, families spending $8,800
will reach the $2,000 ceiling.

In making the announcement,
the minister expressed concerns
about the increasing price of drugs
generaily and, specifically, the cost
of drugs recently introduced to
Pharmacare such as Biosynthetic
Growth Hormone. A year’s treat-
ment of the growth hormone could
run as much as $20,000 per child
and the family’s share would cur-
rently be more than $4,000, he
said.

“Costs of this magnitude could
definitely be classified as
catastrophic,’’ Dueck said. ‘‘If

926-0712

British Columbians are to benefit
from these pharmaceutical ad-
vances, they need more governme-
nt support in protecting against
these costs.”"

The minister added that the B.C.
Pharmacare is regarded
throughout the health care in-
dustry as one of the best drug
coverage programs of its kind in
Canada. The B.C. program is one
of the few in Canada that provides
partial coverage to the whole pop-
ulation.

1601 West Georgia Street

¢ Screens ¢
e Andirons
¢ Fenders

Restaurant
For Reservations, call 682-3377

Seven days a week,
from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

THE WESTIN BAYSHORE

Vancouver

UNIFORMS GALORE
20 to 50% off

Newest in Uniforms: Doctors, Nurses,
Dental Assistants & Receptionists

Tho Gere ouing

424 West 16th St., N. Van.

985-0555

£