Universal healthcare in CanadaThe Canadian healthcare system today is a combination of sources that depends on the services and the person being treated. 97% of Canadians are covered by Medicare which covers hospital and doctor services. Medicare is funded at the government and provincial levels. People of Inuit and First Nation descent are covered by the federal government. Members of the Armed Forces, Veterans and Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also covered by the federal government. Several services such as dental care, residential care and pharmaceuticals are not covered. The 13 provinces have different approaches to healthcare; therefore, Canada is often said to have 13 health systems (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). Access to advanced medical technology and treatments, the cost of healthcare, and the overall health of Canadians fare well compared to other countries such as the United States. Policies that have shaped Canadian healthcare Many policies have shaped Canadian healthcare. In 1962, Saskatchewan enacted the Medical Care Insurance Act (MCIA). The MCIA provided coverage in the province for services provided by physicians. Doctors could bill the patient any amount above what the government would pay. Other provinces began considering similar programs. In 1966, the federal government passed the Medical Assistance Act. Under this law, medical services were covered by provincially administered programs. Taxes were split 50/50 between the federal and provincial governments. Another act, known as the Hospitals Act, allowed provinces to develop their own health plans. Some provinces have taken a more rigid approach to billing. After the implementation of these acts... half of the document... what will happen regarding health policy. Primary care reform is underway across the country. (Krieger, 2013). Canada is working to integrate nurses in all provinces, which could help reduce wait times (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). References Johnson, J. A. & Stoskopf, H. (2010). Comparative Health Systems: Global Perspectives: Global Perspectives. Sudbury, MA. Publishers Jones and Bartlett.Krieger, M. (2013). Healthcare reforms aren't coming fast enough. Plans and Trusts, 31(4), 19.LaPierre, T. A. (2012). Comparing Canadian and U.S. healthcare systems in an era of healthcare reform. Journal of Health Care Finance, 38(4), 1-18. Pithoven, A. A. (2009). Why U.S. health spending and health indicator rankings are so different from Canadian ones. International Journal of Health Finance and Economics, 9(1), 1-24. doi:10.1007/s10754-008-9044-0