Understanding The Health Care System

While health care delivery is a provincial responsibility in Canada, the federal government plays a role in funding and providing a national regulatory system for drugs and other healthcare products and services. Ottawa’s financial contribution enables the provinces to respect the set of national standards outlined in the Canada Health Act.

The federally-funded Medicare system, however, only covers services provided within hospital and/or under the direct care of a physician. All other services, (home care, community-based pharmaceutical care, ambulance services, etc.) are provided at the discretion of the provinces.

This means that, while hospital and physician services are universally covered for all Canadians, the extent of public coverage for medications and other important health-related services depend on the patient’s province of residence.

Through provincial drug plans and private insurance programs, the vast majority of Canadians have full or partial financial support for needed medications. In 2002, more than 350 million prescriptions were dispensed through Canadian retail pharmacies.