Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to recognize and introduce Ms. Ray Solotki, my constituency assistant from Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to recognize Darrell Beaulieu, a constituent of mine from Ndilo. It is partly his fault that I am here today. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to also welcome Yellowknife North resident, former MLA, and former Minister, Mr. Dave Ramsay. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Yellowknife North resident and constituent, man of many hats, Mr. Tony Whitford. Welcome.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my mother, Bette Lyons. It is partially her fault that I am here today.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Father Joe Daley. He is a tour guide this time, with Vicky and David from Victoria, BC. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a constituent in the gallery, from Fort Smith, my wife, Anne.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Darrell Beaulieu, Mr. David Ramsay, and Margaret Gorman. Mahsi.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize our Pages from Tsiigehtchic that we have, Shayleen Shae and Thomas Norbert; also their chaperone, my CA, Liz Wright. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgments. Item 7, oral question. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I just stated, I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about the lack of coverage for any mental health conditions when it comes to prescription drugs. I would like to ask the Minister, first off: what is the justification for offering prescription drug coverage under the Extended Health Benefits program for specified disease conditions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, drug coverage under the Extended Health Benefits program for specified disease conditions has evolved over time. With regard to mental health, which is the issue the Member is raising, the only reference within the GNWT Extended Health Benefits Policy to cover conditions is chronic psychosis. Within this broad category of chronic psychosis, there are a number of specified conditions that are open to interpretation and application to a number of specific conditions.

I would add, however, that this approach to extended health benefits is clearly dated, as eligibility for programs is based on a list of specified conditions rather than based on the clinical and/or financial need of the individual or family. Members may recall that there have been two previous attempts to review the approach to supplementary health benefits. Both were not successful. The last attempt was in 2010-2011, during the 16th Assembly.

I recognize, and the department recognizes, that there is a need to review and update the approach to supplemental health benefits, and it is in its initial stages of updating some inter-jurisdictional research to inform a review, with the intention of moving this project forward in 2018.

I bring up this program because there are no mental health conditions covered under that, and, while the territory is doing a lot to address mental health issues, it gives the impression that they do not take it seriously because there has always been a stigma attached with it, and it seems like they are just second class to physical conditions.

The Minister brought up some of the work that has been done. What work has been done when it comes to including mental health conditions in that specified disease and condition program? I am speaking in terms of: do they know how much it would cost? Because, if we know how much it would cost, there is no reason we cannot just, with the stroke of a pen, add those conditions to the list.

As an MLA, I am the person who a lot of these people reach out to. I have never heard about these exceptions, and the people who come to me have never heard from their physicians about these exceptions, so what is being done to inform physicians, let alone the general public, that this coverage could be extended to them?

The department does work with the medical association and others to try to get that information out there. I will have a conversation with the department to make sure that they are working with our practitioners across the Northwest Territories. It does not cover every condition, but it does cover a lot of conditions. Where it is not covered, as I said, I would encourage the Member and all Members to have these people get in touch with system navigators or come to them, and the Members can come to us and we can explore opportunities.