Top 10 Facts About Canadian Health&Care: High Quality Program In Action

Canadian Health&Care system is perhaps one of the most controversial of those that exist in the world today. It’s often misunderstood by foreigners, yet appreciated by the citizens. It has many advantageous points that can change your vision of the way a high quality medical service should be. Keep reading to find out more.

FACT 1: FIVE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF CANADIAN HEALTH&CARE

The five principles are comprehensiveness, public administration, portability, universality, accessibility. According to these principles, all insured residents of the state get the equal levels of health care. The residents also have free access to all types of healthcare services. The provincial health insurance administration is carried out by public authorities and on a non-profit basis only.

FACT 2: POLITICAL DEBATES

It’s true that Canadian Health&Care system is the main topic of both political debases as well as controversy. Today there are many questions concerning system’s efficacy, treatment and drugs delivery, private insurance, etc. Most politicians are worried concerning the role of privatization as it leads to health system’s inequalities: only rich ones can afford all kinds of medications and treatments.

FACT 3: BOASTING LIFE’S HIGHEST EXPECTANCIES

Though political debates go on, Canada still boasts one of the world’s highest life expectancies. Today it’s about eighty years. At the same time it boasts the lowest infant mortality rates. It’s obvious that only high quality & level of the HealthCare system allowed achieving such great results.

FACT 4: CANADIAN HEALTHCARE ISN’T A SOCIALIZED SYSTEM

What does it mean? When the healthcare system is socialized, all physicians work for the government directly. There are specialists, who run their private practices, BUT instead of dealing with hundreds of insurers, they deal with one only. However, Canadian system is referred as single-player insurance & medical care for everyone.

FACT 5: HEALTHCARE IS HANDLED BY TERRITORIES & PROVINCES

When a new resident appears in a particular residence, he must apply for health coverage. If he changes his location for good, he must apply for a health card there too. There are waiting periods before the card is granted. The waiting period can vary greatly, yet it normally never exceeds 90 days. A number of provinces can require premiums for service, yet no health service can be denied because of patients’ financial inability. The provinces are Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta.

FACT 6: STANDARD HEALTH COVERAGE CAN ENSURE ADDITIONAL SERVICES

All additional services are described in the Canada Health Act. Such additional services include: dental coverage, physiotherapy, prescription medications, etc. Provinces aren’t obliged to provide services which aren’t listed in the country’s Health Act. The list of services can be affected only during the governmental policy changes.

FACT 7: PRIVATE INSURANCE IS CHOSEN FOR NON-COVERED SERVICES

Why do many citizens turn to private health insurance? It’s because of additional treatments that aren’t covered by Canadian HealthCare system (prescription drugs, common dental services, optometrists). Private plans are normally offered as benefit-packages for employees in big companies. They include dental or vision care, too.

FACT 8: THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Canadian government has already pointed out the areas that require improvements:

• patient waiting times;
• long-term care;
• home care;
• overall healthcare funding;
• medical technology improvement;
• shortage of personnel.

One of the major issues is waiting time of course. Undergoing surgeries and getting diagnostic tests are the issues that take the second place these days.

FACT 9: WHEN DO COSTS BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE?

It happens only when a person is no longer staying in the hospital and he starts purchasing prescription medication on his own. In Canada specialist medications are very expensive even for a one-course treatment. There are medical services that aren’t covered and are always pricey:

• massage therapy;
• physiotherapy;
• dental treatment;
• chiropractic treatment.

FACT 10: OPEN TO CHALLENGES

Though the overall picture of Canadian Health&Care seems to be positive, still the quality of services varies from province to province greatly. There’s a difference between rural provinces in the north and those in the south: the first ones drag one step behind.

Canadian Health&Care Common Myths

Frankly speaking, there are many of them. Some myths are so old that people have already started trusting them.

MYTH 1: DOCTORS ARE HURT FINANCIALLY

That is false. Of course, they don’t earn as much as healthcare professionals in the USA, yet they have good working conditions and high salaries. Most doctors may have more responsibilities as they have only one assistant. So don’t get surprised when a doctor handles the phone and mail, patient reception and billing all by himself.

MYTH 2: WAITING FOR A DOCTOR TAKES FOREVER

It is so not true. Things greatly depend on where you live, of course. In big cities it takes minutes, while in rural areas a patient should wait a bit longer. However, it is not hard to get a doctor, if you live in a small town. The only possible drawback is that Canadian government doesn’t cover the airfare for rural people to come to the city hospital.

MYTH 3: CANADIANS AREN’T ALLOWED TO CHOOSE THEIR DOCTORS

That’s another lie. In fact, it is a kind of a joke to scare kids with. There are even stories that tell how the government picks a doctor for each Canadian. Any citizen is free to choose his own doctor like everyone else. Both rich and poor Canadians have the same access to country’s top specialists.

MYTH 4: CANADIAN DRUGS AREN’T THE SAME

They are just the same as anywhere else. Medications have the same active ingredients and are usually manufactured by the same pharmaceutical companies. The only difference is that their distribution system has a quite tighter oversight and all pharmacies are closely regulated. So, Canadian drugs are really safe!

It’s obvious that Canadian HealthCare system does differ from those of other developed countries. It delivers different services to citizens with different expectations. However, the results are always impressive. And though not everyone understands the system, it does work.