Canadian Healthcare System 101

Okay, so if you are unaware as to how the healthcare system works in Canada, here's a brief description:

• Healthcare is universal, which means it is available to all Canadians.
• The 13 different provinces and territories have custom health insurance plans that make sure Canadians have healthcare available.
• The federal government protects Canadians by forcing the provinces and territories to make sure their plans cover basic features considered important in a healthcare system.
• These features include availability of complete healthcare to everyone regardless of income status, throughout the country regardless of home province, providing proper and fair public administration.

*All of these features are results of the Canada Health Act of 1984, which was aimed at providing healthcare protection for Canadians.

However, there are lingering problems with the healthcare system, identified by multiple reports. Included in those problems is high wait times for basic care and for specialized care. While private healthcare is officially banned by Canadian Law, certain provinces are growing tired of the current state of Canadian healthcare and have invented ways to get around this law to provide private services to those who can afford it, so that they can receive care faster than others. This presents a problem and also identifies the need for possible changes to our current system so that provinces do not have to try and cheat the system.