It depends on what you mean by “universal.” It’s a two-tier system (not technically, but in effect), meaning there are a lot of things that are only covered privately. On top of that, pharmacare is not covered (meaning that if you get diagnosed you still have to pay for the treatment somehow). Many specialists: not covered. Dental and eye? Not covered.
Are you a migrant? Well canada has medical deportation.
Are you homeless? You need a permanent address to get medicare.
Are you disabled? Tough shit, disability benefits are below the ability to live, are rarely granted, and do not cover extended care most of the time.
Do you live in one of the less populated provinces? No abortion access. No emergency rooms. No doctors.
I’ve been on the wait list to get a GP for seven years. Only two emergency rooms in the entire province have 24/7 hours. Most of the province does not have pediatrics. Most of the province does not have emergency care. The bits that do, it is only open office hours. Get hurt after 4 pm? Tough shit. Hurt on the weekends? Tough shit. Actually get hurt in the right time frame and then wait for four hours in the emergency room, and now it’s closed? Well, go drive two hours to a different one. That one you wait another four hours and it’s closed now too? Well drive back to where you started.
Get sick out of province? Well hope you enjoy ambulance bills. Even worse if the ambulance bill gets billed at the same time as something that medicare should cover. The hospital will refuse to re-bill it separately, and then your province will refuse to reimburse you for the bill entirely, and suddenly you owe medical debt you’ll never pay off (like me).
Edit to add: if you’re trans, Black or Indigenous, good fucking luck. Doctors don’t care, won’t see you, won’t treat you.
It depends on what you mean by “universal.” It’s a two-tier system (not technically, but in effect), meaning there are a lot of things that are only covered privately. On top of that, pharmacare is not covered (meaning that if you get diagnosed you still have to pay for the treatment somehow). Many specialists: not covered. Dental and eye? Not covered.
Are you a migrant? Well canada has medical deportation. Are you homeless? You need a permanent address to get medicare. Are you disabled? Tough shit, disability benefits are below the ability to live, are rarely granted, and do not cover extended care most of the time. Do you live in one of the less populated provinces? No abortion access. No emergency rooms. No doctors. I’ve been on the wait list to get a GP for seven years. Only two emergency rooms in the entire province have 24/7 hours. Most of the province does not have pediatrics. Most of the province does not have emergency care. The bits that do, it is only open office hours. Get hurt after 4 pm? Tough shit. Hurt on the weekends? Tough shit. Actually get hurt in the right time frame and then wait for four hours in the emergency room, and now it’s closed? Well, go drive two hours to a different one. That one you wait another four hours and it’s closed now too? Well drive back to where you started.
Get sick out of province? Well hope you enjoy ambulance bills. Even worse if the ambulance bill gets billed at the same time as something that medicare should cover. The hospital will refuse to re-bill it separately, and then your province will refuse to reimburse you for the bill entirely, and suddenly you owe medical debt you’ll never pay off (like me).
Edit to add: if you’re trans, Black or Indigenous, good fucking luck. Doctors don’t care, won’t see you, won’t treat you.
People may be familiar with this: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/dying-indigenous-woman-films-video-nurses-taunting-her-canadian-hospital-n1241697
Thank you
Holy fuck i was so unaware of all this with the Canadian healthcare system.