How does health insurance work in Canada?

All Canadians have access to universal health care under their provincial medical plan such as Ontario Health Insurance Plan – OHIP – for those residing in Ontario. This means any medical expense where your provincial health card is required for services is covered by the government. This includes but is not limited to visits to the doctor and to the hospital. Any other health related costs such as prescription drugs, dental, optical or medical expenses for routine procedures or items like dental cleanings, prescription eye glasses or physiotherapy is not covered by the government. Employers that offer employee group benefit plans often cover a very limited portion of the costs associated with these routine benefits. Only employers with a Health Spending Account like a Kibono HSA can cover 100% of all CRA-eligible Drug, Dental, Optical and Medical expenses for their employees.