For most Canadians, the current debate in the United States over Medicare for all seems like a no-brainer. Medicare for all, or what we term Universal Health Care, has been in place across Canada since 1972 and even earlier in some provinces. (The administration of health care remains a provincial or territorial responsibility, although the federal government sets nationwide standards and provides approximately 50 percent of the cost through transfer payments to the provinces.)
Basic health care in Canada is free and universal, as it is totally funded through tax dollars. It covers approximately 70 percent of Canadians’ health-care needs, including all essential medical needs, doctors’ visits and hospital costs. The remaining 30 percent, which relates to services not covered through Medicare, such as prescription drugs, dentistry and optometry, is paid for through the private sector. However, approximately 65 to 75 percent of Canadians have some form of supplementary health insurance like Blue Cross.