The recently passed pharmacare bill in Canada will increase federal spending by C$1.9 billion over five years and aims to cover diabetes and contraception medications for those without private drug plan coverage. This legislation, a result of a political pact between the Liberals and NDP, is hailed as a historic achievement that could benefit nine million women of reproductive age. Health Minister Mark Holland described the bill as transformative and expects all provinces and territories to join by next spring, with British Columbia already signing an agreement. Critics, however, express concerns about the bill's clarity and the opt-out positions of Alberta and Quebec. The government plans to establish an expert panel within a month to develop a full national pharmacare program, addressing the fact that Canada is currently the only country with universal healthcare lacking universal pharmacare.