Canada’s health care system relies primarily on primary care physicians, who make up about 51% of all practicing physicians in Canada. They are the conduit between the patient and the formal health care system, and control access to most specialist doctors, hospital care, diagnostic checks and prescription medications. Such a family doctor can be changed an unlimited number of times on the advice of acquaintances and mood swings.
Most doctors have their own private practice and enjoy a high degree of autonomy. Many doctors work in hospitals or local health centers (there are polyclinics in the province of Quebec). For private practitioners, the government pays them on a fee-for-service basis, and such practitioners are paid directly by the province or territory. Therapists who do not have a private practice receive either a set salary or a fee based on the amount of care provided.
When Canadians need medical care, they go to the therapist or clinic of their choice and show their health insurance card, which is issued to all legal citizens and residents. Canadians do not pay directly for medical services provided, and they do not need to fill out various forms for services covered by insurance. There are no monetary limits or co-payments for such services.
Dentists are independent of the health care system, except when an emergency dental surgeon is needed. Pharmacies are also independent of the government.
More than 95 percent of all Canadian hospitals More than 95 per cent of all Canadian hospitals are non-profit, private organizations, run by a local board of directors, volunteer organizations, or municipalities. In addition to the national health insurance system, provinces and territories also provide health care services for those who need complementary health care services – the elderly, children and the unemployed. These supplemental health care packages often include free medicines, dental care, eye care, various devices for the disabled (prostheses, wheelchairs, etc.), and more.
Although the provinces and territories provide additional services to some segments of the population, these services are in the private sector, which means that residents pay for them directly out of their own pockets. The sensible thing to do in this case is to buy insurance that covers most of the costs of dental services, opticians, etc. Such insurances are often included in the compensation package offered along with your salary.
When moving from one province to another, Canadian residents can still count on free medical care.
