In Canada, health-care services are largely paid for by the government. This is based on Canada’s Health Act which states “continued access to quality health care without financial or other barriers will be critical to maintaining and improving the health and well-being of Canadians.”
About 70 per cent of all health-care services are insured (paid for by the government). The remaining 30 per cent is up to the patient to pay for or obtain through their own health insurance. Dental fees and prescription drug costs are two examples where government doesn’t pay for all the services.
Services provided by doctors but not paid by the government are called non-insured services. Doctors may charge patients for these services.
Each doctor decides whether to charge for a non-insured service and sets the fee. Patients should talk to their doctor about the policy and fees for non-insured services.
Common non-insured services in Nova Scotia:
- Completion of forms, such as:
- certificate of illness (sick note)
- government forms
- insurance forms
- medical-legal reports
- nursing home admission forms
- Examinations or physicals (required for the completion of documents such as reports and forms)
- Medicals and examinations required for driver’s licence and other licenses
- Medical advice over the telephone
- Medical supplies
- Missed appointments
- Prescriptions requested by telephone
- Transfer of medical records
- Photocopies
- Long distance telephone and fax charges
- Removal of wax from ear (Visit for diagnosis of ear symptoms remains insured and necessary removal of wax from a child's ear [up to age 12] to help in diagnosis is insured.)
- Removal of most non-cancerous, superficial cysts, skin tags and other superficial skin blemishes
- Removal of most non-cancerous warts and moles
- Second and subsequent ultrasound examinations in uncomplicated pregnancy
- Routine circumcision of newborn
- Routine vision care from 10th to 65th birthday