Report shows that Canadians do not actually have free health care
A new report from the Fraser Institute suggests that Canada’s supposedly free health care system is not as free as many people may believe. In Canada, many consumers are able to obtain free medical services, with the cost of these services being covered by taxpayers throughout the country. Many people still need health insurance coverage, as some medical procedures can become quite costly, but the cost of coverage combined with the cost of the country’s health care system may be placing greater financial stress on consumers.
Cost of Canada’s health care system has doubled over the past decade
According to the report from the Fraser Institute, Canada’s health care system is not free. The average Canadian family pays approximately $12,000 a year for health insurance coverage through the national system. The report has shown that the costs associated with this system have more than doubled over the past decade. Health insurance costs for all Canadians have increased by approximately 48% over the past 10 years, reaching an average cost of $8,205 for health care services.
Health care insurance costs are growing faster than Canadian income
The report notes that health care insurance costs are rising 1.6 times faster than income for the average Canadian, which is placing many people under greater financial pressure. For some, these costs are becoming too much to bear, which means that they are beginning to avoid seeking out medical care. Moreover, the cost of medical procedures is also increasing, which is placing more pressure on the Canadian health care system and making it more difficult to provide adequate services.
Most Canadians believe they have access to free health care, but this is not always the case
The Fraser Institute notes that most Canadians believe that health care is free because they never receive a bill for their medical care. This is because the costs of medical care is typically covered by general government revenue, which is collected through various sources and taxes. The organization’s report shows, however, that the government is only able to cover a fraction of the cost of health care, with additional costs being transferred on to consumers.
