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“We noticed that students in Newfoundland had gotten coverage recently and that students in Manitoba were in the process of asking as well,” he said. “So we wanted to build on the momentum and decided that this would be the best ask for this year.”

The pill, available for use up to nine weeks into pregnancy, was added to the Saskatchewan Drug Plan in 2017 and is covered like any other prescription. According to the Ministry, 482 prescriptions for the pill have been provided to residents. Of those, 138 were either fully or partially covered by the plan. Saskatchewan and Manitoba are currently the only provinces without universal coverage.

The cost differs on a patient-to-patient basis; income, enrolment in other benefits programs and private insurance can bring down the out-of-pocket cost of $300 to $450. Many private insurance formularies do not include Mifegymiso or will only cover a portion.

“That still leaves a number of women that wouldn’t fit any of those criteria but still cannot meet the cost,” said Alan Chan, a senior representative of the committee. “So it’s really those women that we are advocating for, because we felt that with the factors at play it made sense to provide universal coverage.”

In addition, the billing code for therapeutic abortion in the province only applies to surgical abortions. Health care providers prescribing or administering Mifegymiso are not compensated beyond the visit and it is not billable as a separate service.