Med Page Today is publishing a series on how and why Canadian and U.S. health systems developed so differently. Michael Smith, the writer of the series, summarizes the Canadian system:
- “It’s universal — All citizens and legal residents are covered for hospital care or physician treatment
- “It’s free — in the sense that there is no direct cost to patients at the point of care (but the money comes from tax revenue)
- “It’s portable — Patients from Ontario, for instance, can get still get care if they fall ill elsewhere in the country
- “It’s administratively simple — Doctors deal with a single payer on an established fee schedule
- “In general, prescription drugs are not covered outside of the hospital setting and neither is dental care, so many Canadians turn to private or employer-provided insurance to cover those gaps or pay themselves. Most provinces and territories do provide drug coverage for some groups, with variations across the country.’’
