The Canadian health system is very different from that of neighbouring America.
It is public and it aims at offering the same service to the entire Canadian population.
Financial support is managed by the federal government while the distribution of services is guaranteed by each province of the federation.
For permanent residents, medical treatments deemed indispensable are completely free, even though most of the medicines required for treatment are often to be paid for.
Against this, a large part of the Canadian population has health insurance coverage either through their employer or privately, in order to receive reimbursement of paid medicines or part of those costs.
In order to obtain a health card and therefore be considered suitable, once a permanent resident, it is necessary to wait about three months, during which it is necessary to take out a private insurance.
The necessary documents to be eligible for healthcare are: the Canadian immigration card, confirmation of permanent residence, an entry document or a permanent residence card.
In Canada, private clinics are admitted but they can’t charge a higher fee than the price set by the federal system for that treatment.
Currently, the Canadian political debate on health issues tries to solve the problem of long waiting lists in public facilities and of a decrease in the quality of service.
For example, it is possible to choose whether to go to a public facility or to a private clinic, in an attempt to stem the problem of high turnout towards free public assistance. According to political discussions, the problem of the Canadian system is not so much in its organization as in the amount of money allocated to it. Supporters of federal assistance, however, believe that extending the private proposal would further weaken public resources by raising costs and decreasing the quality of services.
Although Canada is a country in North America, its health system recalls those present on the European continent. In fact, the Canadian health system, founded on the Canada Health Act of 1984, offers universal and free coverage to all citizens and is 70% funded by public funding, as well as providing distinct and defined roles for the federal government and the provincial governments.
The health system of Canada is configured as a universal and free coverage system.
Since Canada is a federal state, there is a division of roles between the central government and the provincial governments: the former finances the system for the most part and sets federal principles and standards; the second ones assure the care to the citizens using the federal funds received, to which must be added also those deriving from the own taxation of each Province or Territory, and executing their own Medicare insurance plan which guarantees hospital assistance and primary assistance on an obligatory basis through the GPs (General Practitioners) and medical specialists. Furthermore, with their own financing and within the limits imposed by the federal government, they provide additional health services such as home care, long-term residential care, ambulance transport and prosthetic assistance.
Private health insurance is used to cover the costs of some elective surgery and plastic surgery services that are not deemed medically necessary, as well as dental care.

At the operational level, management is entrusted to Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). The RHAs deal with the management of hospitals, home care and long-term care. Remuneration of GPs and Specialists and pharmaceutical assistance remain the direct responsibility of the Provinces and Territories.
This system certainly has its problems and limitations, especially with regard to waiting lists, but it is fundamentally inexpensive, of quality and offers free primary and hospital assistance that is accessible to all citizens.