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September 2007 (Volume 85)
Quarterly Article
Marie-Pascale Pomey
Pierre-Gerlier Forest
Howard A. Palley
Elisabeth Martin
Sep 22, 2026
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In January 1997, the government of Quebec, Canada, implemented a public/private prescription drug program that covered the entire population of the province. Under this program, the public sector collaborates with private insurers to protect all Quebecers from the high cost of drugs. This article outlines the principal features and history of the Quebec plan and draws parallels between the factors that led to its emergence and those that led to the passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) in the United States. It also discusses the challenges and similarities of both programs and analyzes Quebec’s ten years of experience to identify adjustments that may help U.S. policymakers optimize the MMA.
Author(s): Marie-Pascale Pomey; Pierre-Gerlier Forest; Howard A. Palley; Elisabeth Martin
Keywords: health care reform; drug insurance; Quebec; Medicare
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Volume 85, Issue 3 (pages 469–498) DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0009.2007.00496.x Published in 2007