Delivery of Health Care Services

Administration of health care insurance and delivery of health care services

Each province and territory has jurisdiction over the administration of its own publicly funded health care insurance plan and the delivery of its health services including those insured by the plan and those that are not. They can create legislation, policies and programs tailored specifically to meet their own administrative and delivery processes.

Regional or other types of health authorities or networks are responsible for the planning and delivering of publicly insured health services through hospitals and other facilities within their province/territory. They are the largest employer of health care providers.

Most physicians are private providers operating as professional medical corporations under contract with the government. Other physicians holding salaried positions are direct employees of the government. All physicians providing publicly funded health care services are paid with public funds. 

In some provinces and territories, physicians are permitted to opt out of the publicly funded health care insurance plan but are prohibited from charging patients directly or charging any extra amounts for publicly insured health services.

Health services that fall entirely outside of the provincial/territorial publicly funded health insurance plans are allowed to be privately delivered and either covered by private insurance or purchased directly by individuals. Some of these services include dental care, eye care, private diagnostic imaging, long-term care and cosmetic surgery.

Sources:

Canada Health Act Annual Report 2007-2008
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/pubs/cha-lcs/2008-cha-lcs-ar-ra/index-eng.php

 Private Health Care Funding and Delivery Under the Canada Health Act, Library of Parliament, 2005, PRB 05-52E
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/prb0552-e.htm