Canada's Economy
Medicare: Canada's Single-Payer Health System
How Canada's publicly funded health insurance covers essential care, how Tommy Douglas pioneered it in Saskatchewan, and the problem of long wait times.
Canada has a single-payer public health insurance system called Medicare.
Origins
- Tommy Douglas, premier of Saskatchewan, introduced public hospital insurance in 1947 and medical insurance in 1962.
- National coverage followed, with the Canada Health Act of 1984.
How it works
- Provinces run health insurance, funded by taxes and federal transfers.
- Doctor and hospital visits are free at the point of use.
- Doctors are mostly private, billing the province.
Gaps
- Prescription drugs, dental and vision care were often not covered; a national dental plan began in 2023-24, and a first step towards pharmacare passed in 2024.
Wait times
- Long waits for specialists and surgery are a major complaint.
- Emergency rooms are often overcrowded.
Comparison
- Canada spends less per person than the US with universal coverage.
- India’s Ayushman Bharat covers hospital care for poorer families, not everyone.
The free visit
A Canadian sees her family doctor without paying, but waits months for an MRI scan because of long queues.
Thinking single-payer means doctors work for the government
Most Canadian doctors are private and bill provinces.
Key takeaways
- Canada has single-payer Medicare run by provinces.
- Tommy Douglas pioneered it in Saskatchewan.
- Doctor and hospital care is free at point of use.
- Long wait times are a major problem.
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