Health care and health insurance system in Canada- Comparison to Research Paper

Health care and health insurance system in Canada- Comparison to private Insurance Model - Research Paper Example It offers complete access to health care for all its citizens, by spending only 10.4% of its GDP. (The WHO website, 2014) This report aims at presenting a comprehensive overview of the Canadian health care and health insurance system, along with its comparative analysis with the private health insurance model. The Canadian healthcare system was established by the Canada Health Act which was adopted in 1984. According to the Act â€Å"the primary objective of Canadian health care policy is to protect, promote and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada and to facilitate reasonable access to health services without financial or other barriers.† (Canada Health Act, 1984: Section 3) For the most part publicly financed, this system is a single-payer system, consisting of thirteen provincial and territorial health plans. These regional plans are interconnected in terms of their compliance with the national principles laid down at the federal level. The Canadian government offers healthcare policy on a prepaid basis to all its eligible citizens, with no direct charges levied at the point of service. As a result, the Canadians have an equitable access to all sorts of health insured services. The role played by the federal government of Canada is very crucial in the smooth operations of its healthcare system. The federal government if the sole authority that lays down as well as implements the national codes or criteria for the insured health care services. It enables fund transfers to extend financial assistance to the provincial and territorial health care services. It arranges for direct health care services for certain niche groups of the nation such as the First Nation persons, federal prisoners and military personnel. Apart from all these direct functions, the federal government also gets involved in various allied activities like health promotion, health protection, and disease prevention. (Canada Health Act,