All Canadian citizens have equal access to basic healthcare irrespective of their income level or employment status. They are provided with health insurance cards which entitle them to access free medical care on any procedure at the hospital of their choice economic expert. com). This universal coverage is provided by the Canadian government and costs about 9% of the GDP. The Health care system of Canada is enforced and funded by the government but is delivered through the provincial health care plans that have been tailor made to meet the unique needs of the people living in each province (New rules project).
The Canadian plan is universal and includes health care that is provided outside the hospital. Under the stipulations of Medicare, the provincial governments have a set of five requirements which they have to meet for them to be eligible for the federal funds that will cater for their programs. These requirements are portability, universality, comprehensiveness, public administration and accessibility. The medical fees are decided through consultations between doctors and the provincial governments.
The Canadian provincial medical associations represent the doctors. Also, patients do not pay their doctors directly as the government is the only financier. The government is the only insurer and the doctors generally work on a fee for service basis while the provincial governments foot the bill. The Canadian health care system is not for profit and those who own private hospitals bill the Medicare system for their fees (New rules project; economic expert. com). The minimum benefits that apply to each of the provinces are specified under the federal law.
The medical expenditures are controlled through global budget allocations to hospitals and through the aforementioned talks or negotiations of fees among the physicians’ organizations. In some provinces, this negotiation includes the volume of the service. Private insurers have no role whatsoever to play for whether as insurers or as intermediaries. It is the government that funds the operating budget for the hospitals. Great Britain Socialized Health Care Plan Like the Canadian health care system, the health care system of Great Britain is socialized.
Health care is provided through the National Health Service (NHS) which is publicly owned. The hospitals as well as community services are provided for through a centralized system of taxation whereby the hospital doctors and nurses are paid under the national stipulations of service. The UK health care system provides universal health care coverage which essentially means that all categories of people can access healthcare especially those who would otherwise not have been able to afford (Pollock ; healthcare economist).
Like the Canadian system, the UK health care expenditure is very low, consuming a minimal 7. 5% of the GDP. It is also very equitable. However, unlike the Canadian system, citizens of Great Britain have limited choice over their health care provider as well as limited access to specialized services (healthcare economist). The health care system of Great Britain is subject to a single payer system which is the government. However, there is a small percentage of Britons, approximately 10%, who have private health insurance.
The single payer system is typically characterized by very long waiting lines. Private insurance on the other hand ensures that the health care is of a higher quality and the waiting time is significantly reduced. The physicians providing health care under the single payer system are mostly employed by the government. They are subject to low pay and for this reason; there are very few specialists in Great Britain. The National Health Service system provides comprehensive coverage (healthcare economist).