Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hi, I'm Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care and today, I'm talking about the basics
of Canada's Health Act known by many Canadians as Medicare. Medicare was created to ensure
that all Canadian residents have access to hospital and physicians services. In Canada,
we have a national program made up of 13 provincial and territorial health insurance plans, all
of which share common features and basic standards of coverage. Each of the various provincial
and territorial health plans are required to cover medically necessary hospital services
provided to in-patients or out-patients if the services are for maintaining health, preventing
disease or diagnosing or treating an injury, illness or disability. The thirteen plans
must also cover medically required physician's services rendered by medical practitioners.
In addition, the Canada Health Act says those eligible to be insured cannot be denied coverage
for inability to pay. Generally, if you are an official resident of a province or territory,
you are eligible for Medicare. Residents moving from one province or territory to another
continue to be covered by their home province or territory during any waiting period for
coverage. Under Canada's Health Act, each province or territory has its own health plan
beyond the federal government's required basics. Some plans include dental, vision or prescription
benefits, though there may be age restrictions, co-pays and deductibles, all of which can
vary depending on where you live. For some services such as chiropractors, home health
care, medical equipment, hearing aids and upgraded hospital rooms, you may need to purchase
supplemental insurance. This insurance carries extra premiums and may also have deductibles
and co-pays, but it can be very helpful to fill the gaps because Medicare doesn't cover
certain healthcare services. To learn more about Medicare and the services it covers,
visit Health Canada at hc-sc.gc.ca. You can learn more about publicly covered health insurance
through your provincial or territorial healthcare site.