Provincial hospital and medical insurance plans

Question 1

The primary objective of Canadian health care policy as defined by the Canada Health Act is:

Answer 1

• Protect, promote, and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada
• Facilitate reasonable access to health services without financial or other barriers

Question 2

Criteria for unreduced federal funding of Canadian health care

Answer 2

• Non-profit basis, run by a public authority
• Coverage of all necessary hospital and medical services
• All eligible residents
• From one prov to another
• Must be provided on uniform terms and conditions for all residents
• Deductibles (or other) for essential medical services are seen as a breach of the criteria at the fed level and can reduce the funding from fed govt

Question 3

How are hospital and medical insurance plans funded?

Answer 3

• Fed and prov govt once shared costs approx equally but now fed is less than 50%
• Each prov has own method to cover costs not covered by fed:
o Cost sharing between residents (pay premium based on income) and employers
o Levy a payroll tax on employers
o Use general revenue
o Tax group insurance plans

Question 4

Briefly discuss the role of the Canada Health Act

Answer 4

To impose financial penalties on Provinces that do not allow reasonable access to essential health services

Question 5

Under which Jurisdictions falls the Administration and Delivery of Health Care?

Answer 5

Provincial Jurisdiction

• Fed govt transfer funds (less than half of the healthcare bill) to the prov via the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST), but has no saying on how the money is being spend

Question 6

What does it say about wait times?

Answer 6

• Most prov prohibit residents from seeking reimbursement for services provided by the public plan through the private clinics
• Permissible for residents of Qc to seek treatment in private clinics for pre-determined and approved services when reasonable wait times cannot be met through the public plan

Results from the Chaoulli Supreme Court of Canada decision: Excessive waiting for medical services violated the Qc Charter of Rights and Freedoms