Author: Ali Mohammad
It is commonly believed that Canadians are fortunate to have a free healthcare system. While the system offers certain healthcare services without direct charges, it is important to recognize that it involves more than cost-free services. Significant barriers arise from additional and hidden costs within the healthcare system, demanding our attention.
Canadian Medicare funds the healthcare system for citizens and permanent residents using taxes (Government of Canada, 2023). Medicare allocates funds to provinces and territories based on their requirements and population needs. While the funding provides free visits to the hospital or physicians, many other medical necessities still need to be covered for everyone. These necessities include medication, dental care, physiotherapy, long-term care and optometric care. Insurance can help mitigate the expenses associated with these necessities. However, it is important to note that many individuals need insurance coverage, and even when available, insurance might only partially cover some costs (Government of Canada, 2023; International Citizens Insurance, n.d.).
The expense of transportation to medical facilities should be considered a hidden cost. Residents of rural Canadian neighbourhoods often pay substantial expenses for travel services due to the considerable distance of healthcare facilities from these remote communities. While 20% of Canadian citizens live in rural neighbourhoods, only 8% of physicians have services in those areas (Wilson et al., 2020). Additionally, in 2021 and 2022, many individuals in British Columbia paid over $1500 for accommodation and travel to medical facilities to seek healthcare (McSheffrey Elizabeth, 2022). These expenses are higher in the Northern provinces and territories. Travel costs predominantly affect rural citizens, but urban residents also encounter these expenses, particularly in cases requiring ambulance services. With ambulance fees averaging as high as $500, these transportation costs can become a barrier to accessing necessary healthcare (Griffith-Greene, 2015).
With most Canadians working full-time jobs, the saying “time is money” gains relevance. Many Canadians struggle to spare time from work for medical appointments due to financial concerns, specifically amidst inflation (Simpson, 2017). In 2017, 68% of Ontario citizens had to forgo their medical appointments because they could not take time off work or due to prolonged wait times at medical facilities (Simpson, 2017).
The Canadian government recognizes these hidden costs and actively works to reduce them. As of January 2023, a significant step has been taken in Ontario, authorizing pharmacists to provide prescription drugs for 13 common ailments, including urinary tract infections, cold sores, allergies and much more, without requiring a doctor’s requisition (CBC, 2022). This proposition can extend its benefits to other Canadian provinces by reducing the wait times in various medical facilities. Additionally, to mitigate the challenge of work time disruptions, there are propositions of implementing virtual doctor appointments. Some family practices also currently offer the alternative of a phone call appointment (Winsa, 2022).
In short, free healthcare in Canada appears as a medical dream but involves several hidden costs. While the government acknowledges these challenges, significant progress is needed to minimize these additional costs. Ultimately, Canada currently does not have a free healthcare system.
References:
CBC. (2022). Skip the doctor, see a pharmacist: 13 conditions you can have treated at an Ontario pharmacy in 2023. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-pharmacies-prescriptions-1.6698703
Government of Canada. (2023). Canada’s health care system . https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-health-care-system.html
Griffith-Greene, M. (2015). Ambulance fees a roadblock for many who need care | CBC News. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/ambulance-fees-a-roadblock-for-many-who-need-care-1.2946576
International Citizens Insurance. (n.d.). Canadian Health Care System . Retrieved August 4, 2023, from https://www.internationalinsurance.com/health/systems/canadian-health-care/#:~:text=The%20Canadian%20public%20healthcare%20system,%2C%20dental%2C%20or%20vision%20coverage.
McSheffrey Elizabeth. (2022). Rural B.C. patients paid more than $1,500 over 2 years in travel expenses for health care: Study | Globalnews.ca. https://globalnews.ca/news/9351815/rural-bc-patients-health-care-costs-study/
Simpson, S. (2017). Seven in Ten Canadians (68%) Have Skipped Seeing a Doctor Due to Long Wait Times, Timeliness or Other Barriers . Impose. https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/seven-ten-canadians-skipped-seeing-doctor-due-long-wait-times
Wilson, C. R., Rourke, J., Oandasan, I. F., Bosco, C., Committee, O. behalf of the R. R. M. I., & rurale, A. nom du C. sur la mise en œuvre du P. d’action sur la médecine. (2020). Progress made on access to rural health care in Canada. Canadian Family Physician, 66(1), 31. /pmc/articles/PMC7012120/
Winsa, P. (2022). Phone appointments with doctors can be life-changing. So why is Ontario devaluing them? Toronto Star.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/phone-appointments-with-doctors-can-be-life-changing-so-why-is-ontario-devaluing-them/article_2f354244-6bfe-5b82-8210-c97f6b3eeadc.html
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