Canada Health Insurance
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The second-largest country in the world, peace-loving Canada sits in
North America, bordered by the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic
Oceans. The vibrant economy is supported by an abundance of
natural resources, including copper, gold, iron ore, diamonds,
silver, petroleum and hydropower, to name a few. Tourism is
also an important source of revenue and the country attracts
millions of visitors every year, which the Canadian government
estimates exceeds the entire country’s population, which
currently sits at 34.3 million inhabitants (CIA, 2012). The
majority of those residents, approximately 90 percent, are
concentrated within 160 kilometers of the US border. Canada’s
rich natural beauty is showcased in pristine national parks
and across its impressive mountain ranges and vast wilderness.
Canada is proud of its accepting and multicultural society and
welcomes visitors to enjoy the great outdoors, its scenic
wonders, visit heritage sites and indulge in a variety of
culinary treats and cultural activities. French and English
are official and predominant languages in Canada although the
latter is more widely used. Several other languages are also
spoken, including Portuguese, Italian and Spanish.
Canada Health Care and Insurance
National healthcare standards are set by the Canadian
government, which also provides financial support to the three
territorial and ten provincial governments tasked with
managing and delivering health and other social services
within their particular jurisdictions. The bulk of health
system financing is derived through federal, provincial and
territorial level taxes, with a small portion from social
insurance funds, out-of-pocket payments and private health
insurance payments.
Universal coverage for accessing medically-necessary doctor,
hospital and diagnostic services is provided through Canada’s
health insurance system, known in the country as ‘Medicare’.
Primary, secondary and tertiary care is available to legal
residents under the scheme, with the first point of entry into
the health system predominantly through family doctors and
general practitioners. The country’s hospitals are
administered by community boards-of-trustees and non-profit
institutions as well as voluntary organizations or
municipalities. While subject to operating budgets which are
determined by the respective provincial and territorial
governments, these organisations are relatively autonomous in
their control of spending and use of resources. Approximately
65 percent of Canadian’s obtain additional private medical
insurance according to government statistics, in order to
offset expenses not provided for under Medicare. Supplementary
services such as prescription medicines, home care services,
corrective lenses and dental care are largely financed
privately unless supplementary insurance is purchased.
Private clinics also operate within the health sector,
however under federal law it is illegal for such practices to
provide primary healthcare services which are already covered
by the public Medicare system. Many private facilities however
still do, in addition to specialized services. In comparison
to public providers, private medical facilities have reduced
wait times for both general practitioner and specialist
services although treatment is expensive within the sector,
restricting access only to those with additional Canada health
insurance. New residents can be exposed financially in Canada,
as they will typically experience lengthy waiting periods
before coverage is granted under the Medicare scheme, another
reason to arrange private cover.
Often quoted as a measure of the quality of life in a
country, Canada’s estimated life expectancy is one of the
highest in the developed world, currently sitting at 78 years
for men and 84 years for women (CIA, 2012), comparatively
higher than countries such as France, Spain and the United
Kingdom, which all provide a similar standard of healthcare.
Another indicator of health conditions within a country is the
infant mortality rate, which again, Canada boasts one of the
better rates in the world at 4.85 deaths for every 1,000 live
births. Despite these statistics highlighting a well-developed
and efficient health system, a number of challenges persist.
Waiting times in emergency rooms can be significant and
shortages of medical personnel has become a systemic problem,
resulting in delays to see specialists, with such appointments
only by referral and reportedly taking several months for
patients to obtain.
Although the standard of care in Canada is extremely high
and Medicare provides for a wide range of services, it can be
difficult for temporary visitors to access if they do not have
coverage under the government healthcare scheme. International
medical insurance is recommended even for brief visits to
Canada, as visitors are ineligible to receive public
healthcare. Dual-nationals may also have difficulty accessing
public health sector services as many doctors refuse to take
new patients. Canada does not have reciprocal agreements in
place with other developed nations. This group of nationals
may also be subject to residential requirements set down by
provincial authorities, which could limit some services to
dual-passport holders.
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Canada's medical insurance industry is a fast paced ever evolving market however our staff are experts and at your disposal. |
Expatriates and Travelers in Canada
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Canada Travel Insurance Concerns
Several natural hazards present a risk in Canada such as forest
fires, earthquakes, tornadoes and winter avalanches.
Snowboarding, skiing or using snow-mobiles on closed trails is
not recommended as the risk of avalanches in mountainous areas
is high. Areas in Alberta especially pose this risk and well
as British Columbia, which is a seismically active region. The
wind-chill factor can present a significant risk as it can
result in dangerously cold open-air conditions, well below
thermometer readings. Tornadoes can occur between the months
of April and September, and hurricanes from June to November.
Information on approaching weather fronts should be acquired
and any instructions issued by authorities strictly followed.
Checking media reports and obtaining local advice before
visiting forested areas is also recommended due to the risk of
forest fires, and is especially important if setting out on a
hiking trip to an area known to be inhabited by bears.
Road users are also subject to a number of safety risks due
to tailgating, the running of red lights and hurried
lane-changes by locals, with safety issues compounded by
emergency vehicles frequently using oncoming traffic lanes in
order to avoid congestion. Numerous fatal accidents have
occurred on the Detroit to Montreal highway, which is one of
the busiest in North America, resulting from dangerous
maneuvers by heavy vehicles, excessive speed and severe
weather changes. Heavy snowfalls and icy conditions can
increase the risks to road users, as wintery conditions make
driving particularly difficult. Because traffic laws are
established by each province, local variances may exist
between provinces. Theft of vehicles, including of motor-homes
and other recreational vehicles occurs even in seemingly
secure areas. Patrolled parking lots and unattended vehicles
are regularly targeted by opportunistic thieves. These
incidents are largely known to occur in the cities of
Vancouver and Montreal. In the event of an accident, as the
cost of medical attention in Canada is high and non-residents
are unable to access public healthcare, international medical
insurance should be arranged, to ensure such costs are not
financially burdensome. Emergency services, Fire, Ambulance
and Police can be reached by dialing 911.
Canada Expat Health Insurance
An international Medical Insurance policy is highly
recommended to offset the costs associated with health care in
Canada, which is of an extremely high standard, but can be
difficult to access by dual-nationals and temporary visitors.
When seeking medical attention in Canada, these groups should
be prepared to pay treatment expenses at the time the service
is provided. Globally transferrable policies are available
which provide insurance coverage wherever individuals may
travel. A range of benefits are delivered including emergency
medical evacuation, repatriation, hospital and doctors’ fees
and costs associated with maternity services. To ensure the
cost of medical care in Canada does not result in financial
burden, make contact with an International Medical Insurance
consultant for a free quotation.
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