Innovations in End-of-Life Care
an international journal of leaders in end-of-life care

The principal features of Canadian Medicare, as originally included in the Hospital Insurance Act and reaffirmed in the Canada Health Act, derive from the health care system’s fundamental principle of equality.¹ These features are five in number:

comprehensiveness: coverage extends to all hospital and all physician and surgeon services; some provinces add other health care benefits, such as dental services for children, drugs for the elderly, chiropractic, optometry and physiotherapy treatments. universality: these services are available to all Canadians, regardless of income or other considerations; nor do poor people have to undergo a means test to establish their eligibility for coverage. accessibility: Canadians must have reasonable access to medically necessary services. portability: a resident of one province or territory is covered while travelling in other parts of Canada and, at least partially, in other countries. public administration: either by an independent commission or by the health department.

^1. Roy DJ, Williams JR, Dickens BM. Bioethics in Canada. Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice Hall Canada Inc. 1994: 95-96.