CANADA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
Canada’s health care system is quite advanced for a true welfare state. In many country rankings of health systems, it is in the top 15, and in many cases they score even higher.
written by: Attila – Continent Surfer
Canada’s health care system shares many similarities with a few european countries, but its structure itself is different in some ways.
Let’s take a closer look at the USA’s northern neighbour’s health care system.
Medicare – Canada
The Canada Health Act (CHA) laid the legal foundation for Canada’s current health care system in 1984. Canada’s public health care system is known as Medicare, which covers almost all medical costs, including hospital care and doctor’s visits. However, it generally does not cover dental care, eye care, cosmetic procedures, mental health care or care for the elderly. A significant difference with european systems is that prescription drugs are not available for people aged 18-65 (although separate, private health insurance policies may cover some of these costs). These medications tend to be quite expensive, which is one of the main criticisms of the Canadian system.
Canada does not have a single, centrally administered health care system, its 13 provinces and territories of the country manage and administer their own system under their own jurisdictions. However, they all fall under the umbrella of Medicare. There can be differences in what each province considers to be medically justifiable – so what costs are covered. The country does have a Minister of Health whose main responsibility is to oversee the whole system.
The health system is also funded at the provincial level, but not through a health levy deducted from employees’ salaries, but through a share of income tax collected. It is estimated that Medicare covers about 70% of the healthcare needs of Canada, with the remaining 30% covered by private care. Canadian citizens, permanent residents and, in some cases, those with work permits or refugees, who are registered with the provincial system are eligible for Medicare. Registration includes the purchase of a health card, which must be applied for at the health authority in your place of residence. This card must be presented at each check-up to prove to the doctor or general practitioner that you are registered with the scheme.
GP – general practioner
Canada has a family doctor system, so people who are eligible for care, they must register with a family doctor practising near their home. These GPs are responsible for taking medical histories and following up on their patients. In addition to providing primary care, they also refer patients to specialists when needed. Although the average age of doctors in Canada is lower than in the UK, GPs are not necessarily easy to find as there is a shortage of staff. This can be a particular problem in rural areas. In a survey published in late 2022, 22% of respondents said they did not currently have a GP. It is worth to mention that fewer than 10,000 people completed the questionnaire, so this may not be representative and may not capture the real reasons. GP practices are usually made up of a number of doctors who run a practice together. For any problems arise that do not require emergency treatment, appointments can be booked in advance. If you want to use their services as a family, you will need to book a separate appointment for each family member. Appointments are important; in Canada you cannot just walk in off the street for an appointment, otherwise you need to find a ‘walk-in clinic’ nearby.
Private health insurance
In some provinces in Canada, you may be surprised to find that although you might be already registered with your local system, it may take up to three months for your registration to become active. This means that you may not be able to access publicly funded services during the transition period.
If this is the case, it is definitely worth taking out private insurance for the time being. As mentioned above, Medicare does not cover everything. About 75% of Canadians have some form of supplementary private health insurance to cover costs such as dental care, physiotherapy or prescription glasses. Private insurance can also be purchased on an individual basis, but it is more common for employers to arrange it for their workers. This can help employees in a number of ways: it can cover the cost of a large proportion of prescription drugs, or it can be part of a pre-funded bank card to cover expenses which are not covered by the public scheme.
Walk-in Clinic
Don’t worry, if you don’t have a GP, as Canada has a large number of walk-in clinics that are open to anyone. These are similar to GP practices, except that they are more responsive to patients’ needs and usually have longer opening hours than GP practices. Some are even open at weekends! The disadvantage is that patients are seen by the doctor who has the time slot available, rather than the established GP who might already be familiar with the medical history of the person sitting opposite. Visiting a walk-in clininc is usually free of charge, although a certain fee may be charged if you do not live within the province.
As the name suggests, these clinics can be visited without an appointment, but as a result of COVID, many clinics have changed the system and now require an appointment, so it is always worth checking before you go.
Did you know?
By 2022, health care spending in Canada will reach $308 billion, or 12.7% of the country’s GDP. And in terms of per capita health spending, it ranks 4th among OECD countries.
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Source(s):
Photos, Wikipedia, Government of Canada, International Citizens Insurance
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