Canadian citizens and permanent residents enjoy free healthcare coverage; however, due to certain costs not being covered by public health insurance plans in Canada, purchasing additional coverage is often beneficial for expats in the country.
Canadian healthcare is an innovative combination of public and private services, unparalleled elsewhere in developed nations. At its core is a tax-funded central government agency that oversees a network of provincial health boards and services covering essential medical care costs for eligible patients. While generally well run, its operation presents its share of challenges; long wait times for elective surgery as well as inequitable access to health services in certain communities must be addressed to ensure optimal care delivery for all.
As a result of these and other considerations, many expats opt to purchase additional healthcare policies as an insurance measure. Such plans provide benefits such as non-emergency hospital stays, out-of-hospital medications, dental and vision care as well as coverage not covered under public plans – two thirds of Canadians depend on these supplemental policies, typically provided through employers (and to some extent even U.S. companies).
Comparing Canadian universal healthcare to that in other countries can be confusing; each province and territory has varying rules regarding what is covered under national insurance programs; expatriates should check with local authorities about which rules pertain to them specifically.
Canada’s public healthcare system does not cover prescription drug costs in full; Canadians pay the third-highest prices among OECD member nations for these medications, so many must sacrifice other expenses in order to afford their medications.
Many Americans recognize this is an issue in our nation. A recent survey reported that respondents had to reduce spending on basic necessities like food, clothing and recreation to pay for healthcare needs.
Most citizens in their respective nations are aware of the shortcomings in the system that need to be addressed; however, they often take for granted what services it already provides, leaving out opportunities for improvements through adopting best practices from around the globe.
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