The federal government is going to be rolling out the first phase of national universal pharmacare in Budget 2024.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the new plan will remove barriers to access most prescription contraceptives and diabetes medication.

Freeland says the financial cost of contraceptives and diabetes medication is one of the biggest barriers in health care.

The plan will give women the right to choose if or when they would like to start a family. According to government, the universal pharmacare plan will allow more than 9 million women to gain better access to contraceptives.

It will also improve access to diabetic medication, like insulin, to more than 3.7 million Canadians.

Ottawa’s budget will be tabled in the House of Commons on April 16.