The Boundaries of Medicare : Public Health Care beyond the Canada Health Act

Katherine Fierlbeck and Gregory Marchildon examine public health services and coverage in Canada that predate or have developed in parallel to the Canada Health Act. Explaining their logic, operation, and internal political tensions, The Boundaries of Medicare sheds light on the challenges and opportunities facing Medicare in Canada today.

While almost all universal health coverage in Canada is provided under the Canada Health Act, there is Medicare coverage that is provided outside of the act. This is the first book to explain the nature of these boundary health services, why they exist, and how to navigate them in practice. The Boundaries of Medicare examines the complex range of public health care services and coverage arrangements that predate or have developed alongside the Canada Health Act. These provisions – including for workers’ compensation, military personnel and veterans, incarcerated persons, migrants, and Indigenous Peoples – are often not well understood, even by those working at policy and delivery levels. Katherine Fierlbeck and Gregory Marchildon aim to improve understanding of these boundary services: why they were established, who is eligible for them, how services are provided, how they are paid for, and how they are managed within a multilevel governance system. They also look at the dramatic increase in virtual health care services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship to the Canada Health Act. Explaining the origins, operations, and tensions of government-funded health care outside the Canada Health Act, The Boundaries of Medicare is an essential resource for policymakers, providers, administrators, and patients seeking to navigate Medicare in Canada.