Canadians Deserve Truly Universal Health Care
Canadians spend billions on medical treatment not covered by the country’s supposedly universal health care system. Many people are unable to pay for these services and instead forgo the prescription drugs and dental care they urgently need.
Large segments of the Canadian population lack access to essential health care services. (Zhen Hu / Unsplash)
Canada’s universal health care system has prevented many people from dying or going bankrupt during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while Canadians do enjoy access to physician services, the country’s health care system does not include services like prescription drugs and dental care. These services are generally accessed through employment-based private insurance and out of pocket payments. As a result, large segments of the Canadian population lack access to these essential services.
With the recent federal election resulting in a minority parliament, the Liberals require support from other parties to govern. This presents a great opportunity for the New Democratic Party (NDP). In exchange for NDP support, the party should demand an expansion of the health care system as part of any post-pandemic recovery plan.
Not Universal Enough
In Canada, prohibitive costs mean that one in ten prescriptions are not filled. Many more patients attempt to cut their pills in half for the same reason. This is because Canada is the only Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member country with universal health care that does not include coverage for prescription drugs.
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