Health care in Canada

Health care in Canada is a comprehensive system primarily funded by the Canadian government and delivered through the provincial and territorial systems of publicly funded health care, informally called Medicare. It is guided by the provisions of the Canada Health Act of 1984.

Overview

The Canadian health care system is a group of socialized health insurance plans that provides coverage to all Canadian citizens. It is publicly funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis, within guidelines set by the federal government. The health care system is designed to ensure that all residents of Canada have reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and physician services, on a prepaid basis. Instead of having a single national plan, Canada has a national program that is composed of 13 interlocking provincial and territorial health insurance plans, all of which share common features and basic standards of coverage.

Funding

Health care in Canada is funded at both the provincial and federal levels. The financing of health care is provided via taxation both from personal and corporate income taxes. Additional funding comes from other federal transfers, the lottery, and other miscellaneous sources. Although the health care system is publicly funded, a lot of health services are provided by the private sector.

Health Care Delivery

Health care services in Canada are delivered through a publicly funded health care system, which is mostly free at the point of use and has most services provided by private entities. The delivery of health care services is the responsibility of each province or territory, guided by the provisions of the Canada Health Act. The provinces and territories fund these services with assistance from the federal government in the form of fiscal transfers.

Health Care Services

Health care services covered by the public health care system in Canada include family physicians, hospital care, dental surgery, eye care, and mental health therapy. Some provinces may also offer additional coverage for services such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, and prescription drugs.

Challenges

Despite its achievements, the Canadian health care system faces several challenges including long wait times, an aging population, and the high cost of new technologies. These challenges continue to push the boundaries of Canada's health care expenditure.

See Also

• Canada Health Act
• Medicare (Canada)
• Health care system
• Health policy