Why study health policy? - Answers You realize something is wrong with the healthcare system
and want to change it
Health policy examples - Answers Legalization of recreational cannabis, pharmacare, mandatory
vaccination, aboriginal health
Policy Processes and Policy-Making examples - Answers How are laws introduced and passed?
How do policies change? How is health governed?
Policy - Answers Broad statement of goals, objectives and means that create the framework for
activity. Often takes the form of explicit written documents, but may also be implicit or
unwritten; decisions taken by those with responsibility for a given policy area
Public Policy - Answers Courses of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a
given problem; anything a government chooses to do or not to do
Health Policy - Answers Courses of action (and inaction) that affect the set of institutions,
organizations, services and funding arrangements of the health and health care system; policies
that have to do with health, created by health agencies organizations; can be both public and
private
Healthy Public Policy - Answers Public policies (i.e., policies outside of the health sector)
characterized by an explicit concern for health and equity in all areas of policy and by an
accountability for health impact
Program - Answers Activity that organizes or delivers a service or goods to achieve a policy's
objectives
Politics - Answers The art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy
Laws - Answers Enact public policy
Constitutional Act, 1867 - Answers - Law passed by the British parliament that created Canada,
founded on Indigenous lands
- Specifies the responsibilities of the national (federal) government and the provinces and
territories
Federalism - Answers Divides authority among levels of government, and intentionally restricts
the powers of the central government
Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) - Answers Government-run health insurance plan for
Ontario
Canada Health Act (1984) - Answers In order for provinces and territories to receive full cash
, and tax transfers from the federal government to fund health care, they must comply with the
terms of the Canada Health Act
Five conditions of Canada Health Act - Answers Comprehensiveness
Universality
Accessibility
Portability
Public Administration
Comprehensiveness - Answers Provincial insurance plans must insure (i.e., cover) all "insured
health services" provided by physicians or within hospitals
Universality - Answers Provincial insurance plans must cover 100% of insured health services
for all insured persons under uniform terms and conditions
Portability - Answers Requires certain coverage for insured residents when temporarily out of
province, and specifies the waiting period before a resident moving to a new province/territory
is eligible for insured health services (can't exceed 3 months)
Public Administration - Answers Provincial insurance plans must be administered and operated
on a non-profit basis by a public authority (e.g., OHIP - Ontario Health Insurance Plan)
Medicare - Answers All the conditions in the Canada Health Act taken together = Universal
health coverage/care
Key features of Canada Health Act - Answers - Free at the point of care
- Provision of health care based on need, not ability to pay
Health Policy Implications - Answers - Variation in coverage between provinces/territories
- If non-physician care shifts from hospitals to clinics or the community, then these services are
no longer required to be insured even if they are considered medically necessary (e.g.,
outpatient pharmaceuticals, rehab, home care, optometry, etc.)
- These uncovered services are paid for via private insurance (e.g., through an employer) or out
of pocket
Health Care Financing - Answers - Public (e.g., through taxes)
- Private insurance (e.g., through your work or school)
- Out-of-pocket