Canada's Health Care System

By: Loan Budy

Canada's publicly funded health care system is dynamic--reforms have been made over the past four decades and will continue in response to changes within medicine and throughout society. The basics, however, remain the same--universal coverage for medically necessary health care services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay.

The basic values of fairness and equity that are demonstrated by the willingness of Canadians to share resources and responsibility are displayed in Canada's health care system, and have been reflected in the modifications and major reforms made to the system since its inception.

In general, Canada's Constitution sets out the powers of the federal and the provincial and territorial governments. Under the Constitution Act, 1867, the provinces were responsible for establishing, maintaining and managing hospitals, asylums, charities and charitable institutions, and the federal government was given jurisdiction over marine hospitals and quarantine.

The organization of Canada's health care system is largely determined by the Canadian Constitution, in which roles and responsibilities are divided between the federal, and provincial and territorial governments.

The organization of Canada's health care system is largely determined by the Canadian Constitution, in which roles and responsibilities are divided between the federal, and provincial and territorial governments. The provincial and territorial governments have most of the responsibility for delivering health and other social services

The federal government's roles in health care include setting and administering national principles for the system under the Canada Health Act; financial support to the provinces and territories; and several other functions, including funding and/or delivery of primary and supplementary services to certain groups of people.

– administration of their health insurance plans; – planning and funding of care in hospitals and other health facilities; – services provided by doctors and other health professionals; – planning and implementation of health promotion and public health initiatives; and – negotiation of fee schedules with health professionals.

Within the publicly funded health care system, health expenditures vary across the provinces and territories. This is, in part, due to differences in the services that each province and territory covers and on demographic factors, such as a population's age. 

When Canadians need health care, they most often turn to primary health care services, which are the first point of contact with the health care system. In general, primary health care serves a dual function.

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