Not many of our fellow citizens know that the current Canadian legislation provides for a certain number of guarantees for preferential and free drug provision for certain categories of citizens. However, practitioners often experience difficulties in obtaining the prescribed treatment, but not all continue to defend this right and for this reason often pay decent amounts of money to acquire what they have the full right to receive for free or on preferential grounds. So, if there is no preferential medication where to claim? Moreover, it is necessary to understand who has the right to preferential and free provision at hospitals and what is required to receive preferential or free medicines.
The Canadian health care system is funded by the state and is best described as a system of insurance and medical plans for ten provinces and three territories. This system is known as Medicare and provides free or almost free medical care to all Canadian citizens. The health systems of each province or territory are connected by uniform principles that are established at the national level. Management and provision of medical services is the responsibility of each individual province or territory. Provinces or territories plan, finance and evaluate the provision of hospital care, the services of general practitioners and other specialists, with certain medicines.
Canada’s health care system relies heavily on primary care therapists, who make up about 50% of all practicing therapists in Canada. They are the transmission link between the patient and the formal health care system, and they control access to most specialist doctors, hospital care, diagnostic tests and prescription drugs. Such a family doctor can be changed an unlimited number of times on the advice of friends and a change of mood. In Canada, however, there is no ‘public medicine’ system where doctors work directly in the government structure. Most doctors have their own private practice and enjoy a high degree of autonomy. Some doctors work in hospitals or local health centers. Private state doctors are paid for services depending on the assistance provided, and such doctors receive payment directly from the budget of the province or territory. Therapists who do not have a private practice receive either a fixed salary or a fee depending on the number of medical services provided.
When Canadians need medical care, they go to a general practitioner or clinic of their choice and present a health insurance card that is issued to all legal citizens and residents of the country. The citizens do not pay directly for medical services rendered, and they do not need to fill in various forms for services covered by the insurance policy. For such services, there are no limits in terms of money or additional payments.
Dentists work independently of the healthcare system, except when emergency dental surgery is needed. Pharmacies are also state independent organizations. Over 95% of all Canadian hospitals operate on the principle of non-profit private organizations, managed by a local board of directors, volunteer organizations or municipalities. In addition to the nationwide health insurance system, the provinces and territories also provide medical care to the part of the population that needs additional medical services - elderly, children and unemployed. These additional packages of medical services often include free medications, dental care, eye care services, various facilities for the disabled (prostheses, wheelchairs, etc.) and more.
Although the provinces and territories provide additional services to some segments of the population, this service sector is located in the private sector, which means that residents of the country directly pay them in cash. In this case, it is reasonable to purchase insurance that covers most of the expenses for the services of a dentist, ophthalmologist, etc. Such insurances are often included in the compensation package, which is offered along with the salary. When moving from one province to another, Canadians can still count on free medical care.
Health care in Canada is mainly financed by taxes, both local and state income and corporate income taxes. In the US, unlike Canada, medical care is paid. If you go to a hospital in the USA, you cannot avoid problems. The average fee per day of stay in the hospital is about $800, and this amount does not include the medical services themselves: surgery, hospital care, medications, etc. Persons who have an insurance policy are paid up to 80% of the cost of staying in the hospital; the remaining 20% must be paid by a patient. However, Americans manage to save on hospital care, reducing costs to a minimum.
Thus, medical system of Canada is well invested by government. The lack of medications is excluded due to planned procurement of meds on a permanent basis. The overall system is well structured, that is why it is considered to be one of the best in the world.
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