<P> Healthcare in Canada is delivered through thirteen provincial and territorial systems of publicly funded health care, informally called Medicare . It is guided by the provisions of the Canada Health Act of 1984 . </P> <P> The government ensures the quality of care through federal standards . The government does not participate in day - to - day care or collect any information about an individual's health, which remains confidential between a person and their physician . Canada's provincially based Medicare systems are cost - effective because of their administrative simplicity . In each province, each doctor handles the insurance claim against the provincial insurer . There is no need for the person who accesses healthcare to be involved in billing and reclaim at all . Private health expenditure accounts for 30% of health care financing . The Canada Health Act does not cover prescription drugs, home care or long - term care or dental care, which means most Canadians rely on private insurance from their employers or the government to pay for those costs . Provinces provide partial coverage for children, those living in poverty and seniors . </P>

When was free health care introduced in canada